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REVIVAL SERMONS. 



•ffoni) Series. 



BY THE 

Rev. DANIEL BAKER 

PRESIDENT OF AUSTIN COLLEGE, TEXAS, FORMERLY PASTOR OF THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH, WASHINGTON CITY. 



WITH AN 

APPENDIX. 




PHILADELPHIA: 
WILLIAM S. M ARTIE N, 

144 Chestxut Street, 

1854. 



THE LIBRARY I 
OF CONOR*** 
WASHINGTON 1 



X 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1854, 
By WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, 
In the Clerk's office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Preface ...... 11 

SERMON I, 

Precious Faith • » • 13 

SERMON II. 

The Fulfilment of Scripture Prophecy 40 

SERMON III. 

The Nature, Sinfulness, and Consequences of Unbelief. ... 69 
SERMON IV, 

Justification 95 

SERMON V. 

Naaman 115 

SERMON VI. 

The Example of Eli 148 

SERMON VII. 

Prove your own Work , 173 

SERMON VIII. 
The Sufferings of Christ, and their Design 204 



8 CONTENTS. 

Page. 



SERMON IX. 

The Tomb of Jesus 230 

SERMON X. 

Christian Morality 254 

SERMON XI. 

A Sermon to Young Men. 278 

SERMON XII. 

The Sovereignty of God 305 

SERMON XIII. 
The Blessedness of being a Christian 337 

SERMON XIV. 
The Danger of Procrastination 359 

APPENDIX. 

Interesting Recollections , 379 



PUBLISHER'S ADVERTISEMENT. 



The Kev. Dr. Daniel Baker, of Texas, lias been a de- 
voted and experimental preacher of the Gospel for many 
years, and perhaps no minister has been more blessed in 
his labours during the present century. This volume em- 
braces some of the most popular and effective sermons 
preached by him during his recent tour in the Southern 
and South- Western States; when, as the result of little 
more than three months labour, in which he cordially co- 
operated with the pastors of the churches that he visited, 
more than six hundred persons, as it is believed, were con- 
verted unto Grod, of whom more than two-thirds were males, 
and not a few professional men. Also a number of young 
men, many of whom have already commenced a course of 
study, with a view ultimately to preach the gospel. 

The following Sermons have no necessary connexion with 
the .first series, contained in another volume, published in 
the year 1846. Bach volume is complete by itself, though 
the two are fit companions for each other. 

The present series of Sermons, together with those em- 
braced in the first series, are selected from some five hun- 
dred Sermons, which the author, during his long ministry, 
has prepared with great care. They can scarcely fail of 
being eminently profitable to the Church of Christ and to 
the souls of men. They address the understanding as well 
as the heart, and bring prominently to view those precious 
truths which the Spirit of Grod has been wont, in all ages, 
to make effectual to salvation. 



PREFACE. 



This volume of sermons is designed to be a 
continuation of a series of " Revival Ser- 
mons," published in one volume, a few years 
since ; and which first volume has passed to a 
second edition. If it be asked why these dis- 
courses have been called Revival Sermons, the 
author would simply state, not only that they 
were designed to be of an awakening charac- 
ter, but were preached (in substance) in nu- 
merous revivals, and were blessed, to the hope- 
ful conversion of many precious souls, of 
whom some fifty or more have become minis- 
ters of the gospel. 

May He who was pleased to bless these 
disourses when they came from the Pulpit, 
bless them also now coming from the Press. 
And to his great name be all the praise. 



KEVIVAL SEEMONS. 



Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have attained 
like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour 
Jesus Christ. — 2 Peter i. 1, 



The faith here called precious, is saving faith, 
or the faith of God's elect, and very truly 
may this be termed "precious faith." It is 
remarkable, my brethren, what stress is laid 
upon faith in the sacred volume. It is won- 
derful how prominent a place it is made to 
occupy in the system of divine revelation. 
The word faith, and its kindred terms, to be- 
lieve and trust, are scattered over the sacred 
page like stars in the firmament of heaven! 
How common, for example, are such expres- 
sions as these: Have faith in God — the just 
shall live by faith — we walk by faith — justi- 
fied by faith — sanctified by faith — great faith 



SERMON I. 



PRECIOUS FAITH. 



14 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



— common faith — precious faith. And how- 
common are such phrases as these : Believe in 
the Lord Jesus Christ — Dost thou believe on 
the Son of God? — Dost thou now believe? 
With regard to the equivalent term, trust, how 
common, particularly in the Old Testament! 
All persons who are familiar with their Bibles, 
must also be familiar with such expressions as 
these : They that trust in the Lord shall be as 
Mount Zion. — O ! house of Israel, trust in the 
Lord. He is their help and their shield. — O ! 
house of Aaron, trust in the Lord. He is 
their help and their shield. — It is better to 
trust in the Lord than to put confidence in 
men. — It is better to trust in the Lord than to 
put confidence in princes. And again: He 
shall lift up a standard to the gentiles, and in 
him shall the gentiles trust. 

And now, what is this faith, belief, or trust, 
so much spoken of, and upon which so much 
stress is laid in the sacred volume ? Sad mis- 
takes, fatal mistakes, have been made on the 
subject. Let us see to it, then, that we under- 
stand it clearly, that we understand it thor- 
oughly. 

Faith, in general, may be defined to be, 
credit given to the declaration or promise of 
another, on the authority of him who makes 
it ; a full persuasion that what is affirmed is 
true, that what is promised will be performed. 



SECOND SERIES. 



15 



When Moses said unto Pharaoh, " Behold, to- 
morrow, about this time, I will cause it to rain 
a very grievous hail. Send now, therefore, 
and gather thy cattle and all that thou hast 
in the field ; for upon every man and beast 
which shall be found in the field, and shall not 
be brought home, the hail shall come down 
upon them, and they shall die." He that be- 
lieved the word of the Lord, among the ser- 
vants of Pharaoh, made his servants and his 
cattle flee into the houses, and he that be- 
lieved not, left his servants and his cattle in the 
field. 

Having said thus much touching the nature 
of faith in general, and its common operations, 
I wish now to call your attention to faith in 
Christ, the thing particularly referred to in 
our text ; and which is so correctly and em- 
phatically denominated precious faith. Take 
this view of the matter. There are certain 
declarations of the eternal God, touching man 
as a sinner in a lost and ruined state, such as 
these : — God hath concluded all under sin, that 
every mouth might be stopped, and all the 
world become guilty before God : — Indignation 
and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every 
soul of man that sinneth: — and, By the deeds 
of the law shall no flesh be justified in his 
sight; — the amount of which is simply this: 
that the sinner is (in and of himself) in a lost 



16 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



condition, ruined and undone; and cannot save 
himself, any more than he can roll a moun- 
tain, or heave an ocean. This we are to be- 
lieve as true, strictly true. 

And now for the corresponding promise. 
"Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a 
stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, 
a sure foundation; and he that belie veth in 
him shall not be ashamed." (Compare Isaiah 
xxviii. 16; Rom. ix. 33, x. 11, and 2 Pet. ii. 
6, 9; Matt. xi. 28.) And again, "Come unto 
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest." The idea is this: 
that those who, thoroughly convinced of their 
lost and ruined condition as sinners, shall 
come to Christ, that is, shall receive him in 
the arms of an appropriating faith, shall be 
accepted, shall be pardoned, shall be saved. 
Hence the language of our Shorter Catechism : 
" Faith is a saving grace, whereby we receive 
and rest upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation, 
as he is freely offered to us in the gospel." 

But that faith which is properly termed 
precious faith, must be distinguished from two 
things which are sometimes taken for it. 

First. It must be distinguished from pre- 
sumption. True faith. is founded upon some 
divine promise; presumption has no such war- 
rant. When the children of Israel passed 
through the opened channel of the Red Sea, 



SECOND SERIES. 17 

they had a promise of protection, hence the 
apostle says : " By faith they passed through 
the Red Sea as on dry land, which the Egyp- 
tians assaying to do, were drowned." The 
children of Israel had a promise, the Egyp- 
tians had not; and therefore, whilst in the one 
case it was an act of faith, in the other it was 
an act of presumption. Take another illustra- 
tion. Gideon, with a band of only three hun- 
dred men, went against the Midianites, a great 
army. This, in ordinary circumstances, would 
have been most daring and presumptuous, but 
really was nothing more than a simple act of 
faith, for the Lord had expressly said unto 
him, " By the three hundred men that lapped 
will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into 
your hand." 

On the other hand, when the children of 
Israel, relying upon their numbers, went up 
against the Amalekites, this was an act of pre- 
sumption, for they had no promise of success. 
On the contrary, Joshua said : " Go not up, for 
the Lord is not among you." Yet they went, 
and what w T as the result? "What may be ex- 
pected in every case of presumption ; they met 
with shame and defeat. " And the Amalekites 
came down and smote, them, and discomfited 
them, even unto Hormah." Num. xiv. 45. 

My brethren, if we have a divine promise, 
we may venture anything, even the salvation 
2* 



18 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of our souls; but we must beware how we 
venture upon anything without a divine war- 
rant. Some persons, because they are not pro- 
fane, nor intemperate, nor fraudulent; because 
they are as good as the majority of mankind, 
imagine that they have no cause of alarm in 
relation to their future state ; but where is the 
promise that such shall be saved? There is 
none. On the contrary, there are many pas- 
sages of this kind: " Except ye repent, ye shall 
all likewise perish." "He that believeth not 
shall be damned;" and, "Except a man be 
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of 
God." Beware how you cherish hopes not 
well founded! Beware how you presume even 
upon the mercy of God, without some clear 
and express divine warrant ! And now, whilst 
we positively affirm that all who die impenitent 
will perish, and all who go down to the grave 
without a Saviour must be damned, we gladly 
and confidently say, that if the sinner truly 
repent, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
he shall be forgiven, and saved ! Yes, no 
matter how numerous and aggravated his sins 
may have been, even though they have been 
of a crimson colour, and a scarlet dye, if he 
will indeed break off his sins by repentance, 
and his iniquities by turning unto the Lord, 
he will, most assuredly, be pardoned and ac- 
cepted, justified and saved. Why do we affirm 



SECOND SERIES. 



19 



this? There is a divine warrant — there is an 
express promise, for thus it is written: "Let 
the wicked forsake his way, and the unright- 
eous man his thoughts; let him return unto 
the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, 
and to our God, for he will abundantly par- 
don." Isa. lv. 7. 

Here you perceive is the promise of a God 
that cannot lie. Let the sinner then take God 
at his word. Let him repent and believe — let 
him fall in with Heaven's plan; and, as sure 
as the word of the Lord is true, his sins will 
all be blotted out, and remembered against 
him no more for ever! 

Second. True or precious faith must be dis- 
tinguished from that faith which is only spec- 
ulative or historical; and, say not, that this is 
"making a distinction without a difference." 
The distinction is great. The one is confined 
to the head; the other has to do with the 
heart, also. As it is written, " With the heart 
man believeth unto righteousness." 

And again, when the Eunuch said to Philip, 
" See, here is water, what doth hinder me to 
be baptized?" Philip said, "If thou believest 
with all thine heart, thou mayest." "A dis- 
tinction without a difference!" Is not one 
called a living, and the other a dead faith? 
And is there no difference between a thing 
that is living, and a thing that is dead ? Here 



20 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



is a tree, having green foliage, bearing good 
fruit — and there is a tree without a single leaf, 
and whose branches are dry and dead. Is 
there no difference between the one and the 
other? Here is a man alive, his eyes are 
sparkling, his cheeks are flushed with health ; 
and the springs of life and health are strong 
within. There is a man pale and cold in 
death, wrapped in the winding sheet, and pre- 
pared for the burying. His eyes are closed, 
they cannot see ; his ears are heavy, they can- 
not hear ; his tongue is dumb, it cannot speak, 
his heart is cold, it cannot feel. Is there no 
difference between this man living, and that 
man dead? The difference is immense. Even 
so is it with that faith which is saving, and 
that which is not. True faith, according to 
the apostle, works by love, purifies the heart, 
and overcomes the world. Observe, this faith 
is an active principle. It works — and mark ! 
It works by love. It wakes up the affections 
of the heart — stirs up all the dormant feelings 
of the soul. But, true faith is not only an 
active principle; it is a powerful principle. 
It overcomes the world — overcomes all its 
smiles, and all its frowns — all its temptations, 
and all its allurements. 

In the eleventh chapter of Paul's Epistle to 
the Hebrews, we have a glowing account of 
the trials and the triumphs of faith. After 



SECOND SERIES. 



21 



showing its mighty power in the case of Abel, 
and Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, and 
Moses, and many other illustrious ones of 
ancient days, (of whom the world was not 
worthy) — the apostle breaks out in this lan- 
guage: "And, what shall I more say? For 
the time would fail to tell of Gideon, and of 
Barak, and of Samson, and of Jeptha, of David 
also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, who, 
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the 
mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, 
escaped the edge of the sword ; out of weak- 
ness were made strong; waxed valiant in 
fight; turned to flight the armies of the aliens." 
And thus the apostle goes on speaking of faith 
as a powerful, triumphant, victorious principle, 
braving all dangers; meeting all difficulties; 
triumphant in every hour of trial ; and if I 
mistake not, the apostle himself furnishes a 
striking example of the power of faith in his 
own case, when he exclaimed, "I take plea- 
sure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessi- 
ties, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's 
sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong." 
And now, who can confound such a working, 
heart-stirring, soul-rousing principle as this, 
with a cold, speculative, heartless faith, w r hich, 
wanting the principle of vitality, is for all 
practical purposes dead and of no value? 



22 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



And here I may just make a passing re- 
mark. Some of those who are wont to con- 
found a living with a dead faith, are wont also 
to confound a water-baptisrn with regenera- 
tion. How absurd ! for if they are, indeed, 
one and the same thing, then when Paul said, 
u I baptized none of you but Crispus and 
Gaius; and I baptized also the household of 
Stephanus; besides, I know not that I bap- 
tized any other;" he might have said, I re- 
generated none of you but Crispus and Gaius. 
I regenerated also the household of Stephanus; 
besides, I know not that I regenerated any 
other. 1 Cor. i. 14 — 16. And again, when the 
Evangelist says, "But Jesus baptized not, but 
his disciples;" we may read it thus, But Jesus 
regenerated not, but his disciples. As " woes 
cluster," so error never comes alone. Do not 
err, my beloved brethren. Let it be remember- 
ed, then, that that faith which is true, or pre- 
cious faith, is widely different, both from pre- 
sumption, and from that faith which is cold and 
heartless. Presumption has no divine warrant; 
and what is called speculative or historical faith, 
may be possessed by the vilest of men, and even 
by devils; as it is written, "the devils also 
believe and tremble." True faith works by 
love ; but devils cannot love. 

Having thus made a proper distinction be- 
tween that faith which is truly precious and 



SECOND SERIES. 



23 



that which is not, I will now proceed to men- 
tion some reasons why the faith spoken of in 
our text may emphatically be termed precious. 

I. It adds greatly to our stock of knowledge. 
It gives us information of a peculiarly import- 
ant character; and information, too, which 
could be obtained in no other way. For faith 
soars where reason cannot soar; and faith 
teaches where reason is struck dumb! "By 
faith," says the apostle, " we understand that 
the worlds were framed by the word of God ; 
so that things which are seen were not made 
of things which do appear." Reason, in this 
case, could have given me no certain know- 
ledge. Arguing from the axiom of some an- 
cient philosophers, that "from nothing, nothing 
can come," I might conclude that the world 
existed from all eternity : or, with some others, 
adopting another theory, I might think that 
the world, as it now is, was simply the result 
of a fortuitous concourse of atoms. But, as 
each of these theories is environed with im- 
mense difficulties, without a divine revelation,* 
I can have no certain knowledge upon the 
subject : but the Bible tells me distinctly that 
"In the beginning God created the heaven 
and the earth ;" not only so, but the Bible tells 
me the process of creation, or the manner and 
order in which the present system, or arrange- 
ment, came into existence. Believing the 



24 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



word of God, knowing that this is true, I 
know all about the origin of things ; and it is 
to me substantially the same as if I had, with 
the angels, been hovering over the scene, and 
had been an eyewitness of the whole. Hav- 
ing full faith in the word of God, I am just as 
certain of the fact stated, as if I had seen it 
with my own eyes. Is this strange ? Is this 
irrational? By no means. I never was in 
London; I never saw Queen Victoria; and 
yet I know that there is such a city as Lon- 
don, and I also know that there is such a 
Queen. In the late war with Mexico I had no 
part ; I did not see our gallant soldiers drawn 
up in battle array ; I did not witness the con- 
flict of battle, nor did I see them reposing in 
the arms of victory ; and yet I know all about 
the matter. I know that they both fought and 
conquered; I could not have had any more 
certain knowledge of the fact if I had been 
actually present, and been a spectator of the 
scene. My belief in testimony gives me 
^knowledge. 

Just so, in relation to matters spread before 
me in the sacred volume. For example : By 
faith, I understand that there is only one liv- 
ing and true God ; by faith, I understand that 
God made man upright, but he has sought 
out many inventions. By faith, I understand 
that God hath concluded all under sin, that 



SECOND SERIES. 



25 



every mouth might be stopped, and all the 
world become guilty before God. By faith, I 
understand that God so loved the world, that 
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth in him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life. By faith, I understand that 
after death comes the judgment, and that the 
hour cometh when all that are in their graves 
shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and 
shall come forth ; they that have done good to 
the resurrection of life, and they that have 
done evil to the resurrection of damnation. 
These, and many other things of like import- 
ance, are communicated to us in the sacred 
volume. By faith, they become matters of 
knowledge; and, this knowledge having refer- 
ence to matters of infinite importance, and 
which could not have been made known by 
reason, or the eye of sense, O how precious 
is that faith which puts us in possession of 
this knowledge ! Precious faith ! But, 

II. It adds greatly to our store of wealth; 
it makes us rich: it causes us to inherit all 
things. Yes, not only all things, really good 
for us in this world, but also in that which is 
to come. Faith says, and says truly, "the 
Lord God is a sun and a shield. The Lord 
will give grace and glory, and no good thing 
will he withhold from them that walk up- 
rightly." The believer may have neither sil- 
3 



26 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ver nor gold; and yet, he is rich indeed! for 
he has that with which he would not part for 
all the treasures of the earth, or for all the 
world calls good or great. But, his chief 
possessions are on high, and in time of need 
he can draw largely from that source. So 
teaches the apostle. " Faith," says he, "is the 
substance of things hoped for." That is, it 
gives a present subsistence to heavenly things ; 
it brings them near. Hence the poet, in speak- 
ing of this property of faith, says : 

" The want of sight she well supplies, 
She makes the pearly gates appear; 
Far into distant worlds she pries, 
And brings eternal glories near/ 7 

Aye, and this she does in such a way, that, 
as Bunyan describes it, the Christian is " in 
heaven before he arrives at it" — -having some- 
times, even on earth, heaven let down into his 
soul, or as another beautifully expresses it, 
" Heaven begun below, and glory in the bud." 
Believe me, brethren, this is no fancy affair. 
It is a blessed and sweet reality, as many can 
testify, by their own happy experience. The 
case of Edward Payson is in point, for during 
his last sickness writing to a relative he thus 
speaks : " Were I to use the figurative language 
of Bunyan, I might date this letter from the 
land of Beulah ; for, the celestial city seems to 



SECOND SERIES. 



27 



be now full in view. Its breezes fan me; its 
odours are wafted to me; its music falls 
upon my ear ; its spirit is breathed into my 
heart. Nothing now separates me from that 
happy world but death, which seems only as 
an insignificant rill, which may be crossed at 
a step, whenever God shall give command." 
Yes, my brethren, when faith is strong, its 
visions are as clear as those of sight, and, in 
this way, oftentimes it enables the believer to 
rise above all the sorrows of this life, and anti- 
cipate the joys of the paradise of God. It is 
even so : 

"The men of grace have found, 

Grlory begun below : 
Celestial fruit, on earthly ground, 

From faith and hope may grow." 

Now, that faith by which the believer is 
enabled to pitch his tent in the land of Beulah, 
and, so to speak, " be in heaven before he 
arrives at it," is surely of great value, and may 
well be called precious faith. O ! that it were 
more common. It would lighten the heaviest 
burden, soften the hardest bed, sweeten the 
bitterest cup, and brighten the darkest scene ! 
O ! give me this faith, this precious faith, and 
my song in the house of my pilgrimage will 
be the song of the Psalmist: Thou shalt 
guide me with thy counsels, and afterwards 
receive me to glory ! O ! give me this faith^ 



28 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



this precious faith, and my shout in a dying 
hour will be the shout of the conqueror, " O 
death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is 
thy victory? Thanks be unto God, who giv- 
eth us the victory through our Lord Jesus 
Christ." Precious faith! 

III. It is the title-bond of our future inherit- 
ance. The evidence or proof of our being the 
heirs of heaven. — This seems to be the precise 
idea of the apostle when, after affirming that 
faith is the " substance of things hoped for/' 
he adds, "the evidence of things not seen." 
That is, it is the proof or demonstration of the 
fact. Take an illustration : This man receives 
an appointment to some high office under gov- 
ernment. Here is the document. It is signed 
by the governor, and bears the great seal of the 
State. In all respects it is properly authenti- 
cated. Here is the evidence of the appoint- 
ment — the full proof of the fact. The appoint- 
ment is his, just as certainly his as if the gov- 
ernor were present and had inaugurated him 
into that office. But, take another case: You 
give me a deed to a tract of land in the state 
of Maine, where I have never been. It is duly 
signed, duly witnessed ; every thing is accord- 
ing to law ; that land is mine ; I have never 
walked over that tract — I have never seen it. 
It matters not ; that tract of land is as certain- 
ly mine as if I had bought it with my own 



SECOND SERIES. 



29 



money, and had walked over it a thousand 
times. I have the deed, the evidence of the 
fact; that which entitles me to full possession. 
Just so, in the case before us. It is written, 
" Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
shalt be saved." Now this faith secures salva- 
tion to the true believer. It is the title-bond, 
or evidence of his being an heir of heaven. 
Bat, as the appointment or deed spoken of 
must be authenticated, that it may be known 
to be true and genuine, so must this faith be 
authenticated, or proved to be genuine. How? 
The apostle tells us, " To you that believe, 
Christ is precious." Is Christ then precious to 
your soul? This proves that you do believe; 
and truly believing, you have the word of God 
for it that you shall be saved. But, as an ap- 
pointment or deed is authenticated in various 
ways, so we may mention another way to 
prove that our title-bond to heaven is good. It 
is written, "There is therefore, now, no con- 
demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." 
Now observe our train of reasoning : If there 
be no condemnation, our sins are pardoned ; if 
pardoned, of course we are the children of 
God, and heirs of heaven. But how am I to 
know that there is no condemnation for me? 
I have evidence that I am in Christ. But 
how am I to know that I am in Christ ? The 
Bible tells me- — " If any man be in Christ, he 
3* 



80 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



is a new creature. Old things are passed away, 
all things are become new." Well, I am 
a new man. I have new views, new feelings, 
new desires, new joys, new sorrows. I have a 
new relish. What I once loved I now hate ; 
what I once hated I now love. Yes, in all my 
views and feelings, in all my tastes and habits, 
I am a new man. My title-bond, so to speak, 
is now duly signed and sealed. Now, although 
I have never been in heaven, or seen its 
glories with my mortal eyes, unwavering faith 
in the word of God gives me an assurance, 
which fully satisfies my mind, and enables me, 
even now, to rejoice with joy unspeakable, and 
full of glory. Precious faith ! 

IV. Faith honours God and pleases him. A 
very striking example, or proof, of this, is 
found in the case of Abraham. He staggered 
not at the promise, through unbelief, but was 
strong in faith, giving glory to God. How? 
The apostle tells us. "By faith, Abraham, 
when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he 
that had received the promises offered up his 
only begotten son." The circumstances of the 
case are these: God had promised Abraham 
that he should have a numerous posterity, and 
that in Isaac his seed should be blessed. Now 
mark the trial and triumphs of Abraham's 
faith. " When Abraham was now old, and his 
wife also well stricken in age, God called unto 



SECOND SERIES. 



31 



him, and said, Abraham, and he answered, 
Behold, here I am. And the Lord said unto 
him, Take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac, 
whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land 
of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt- 
offering upon one of the mountains that I will 
tell thee of." 

O! what a command was this! Must 
Isaac, his son, his only and beloved son, must 
he be offered as a burnt-offering? and must 
this be done by Abraham himself? May 
not the offering be made by another hand? 
No, Abraham must do it himself — and do it 
without delay! "Take now thy son, thine 
only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest, and go into 
the land of Moriah, and offer him for a burnt- 
offering, upon one of the mountains that I will 
tell thee of." What a trial to parental feeling, 
and what a severe trial of his faith ! Was not 
Isaac the child of promise, and if he w 7 ere slain, 
how could the promise be fulfilled? Abraham 
could not tell, nor did he trouble himself about 
the matter. God had promised ; that was 
enough. Is any thing too hard for God ? Could 
he not do all things? Could he not even raise 
Isaac again from the dead? At any rate, Abra- 
ham was resolved to obey his Maker, and trust 
his word. 

And what did Abraham? " He rose up early 
in the morning and saddled his ass, and took 



32 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



two of his young men with him, and Isaac his 
son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, 
and went unto the place of which God had 
told him. Then on the third day Abraham 
lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 
And Abraham said unto the young men, Abide 
ye here w T ith the ass, and I and the lad will go 
yonder and worship, and come again unto you. 
And Abraham took the w r ood of the burnt- 
offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son ; and 
he took fire in his hand, and a knife; and they 
went both of them together. And Isaac spake 
unto his father, and said, My father : and he 
said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Be- 
hold the fire and the wood, but where is the 
lamb for a burnt-offering?" What a question 
from a darling boy ! How it must have pierced 
the heart of the old patriarch ! " And Abraham 
said, My son, God will provide himself a 
lamb for a burnt-offering. And they came to 
the place which God had told him of; and 
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the 
wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and 
laid him on the altar upon the wood ; and he 
took the knife to slay his son." What an act of 
triumphant faith was this! But this is enough. 
" And the angel of the Lord called unto him 
out of heaven, and said, Abraham ! Abraham ! 
and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay 
not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou 



SECOND SERIES. 



33 



any thing unto him : for now I know that thou 
fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld 
thy son, thine only son, from me. And the 
angel of the Lord called unto Abraham the 
second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, 
saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this 
thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine 
only son, from me, therefore, in blessing I will 
bless thee; and in multiplying I will multiply 
thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the 
sand upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall 
possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy 
seed shall all the nations of the earth be 
blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice." 
Thus Abraham honoured God, and pleased 
him. Yes, faith not only honours God, but 
pleases him. This idea must not be left out of 
view. What says the apostle concerning 
Enoch? "By faith Enoch was translated that 
he should not see death, for before his transla- 
tion he had this testimony that he pleased 
God; but without faith it is impossible to 
please him, for he that cometh to God must 
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of 
them that diligently seek him." The case of 
Enoch, according to a Jewish tradition, was 
this : Enoch lived in a time of abounding 
iniquity. He was a bold reprover. His life 
was threatened; but God commanded him to 
denounce judgments upon the wicked around 



34 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



him; assuring him that they should not be 
permitted to do him any harm. Accordingly 
he, in the midst of a raging multitude, lifted 
up his voice, and said: " Behold the Lord com- 
eth with ten thousand of his saints, to execute 
judgment upon you alL" Upon this they 
rushed upon him, to put him to death; but 
suddenly the heavens were opened, and in the 
view of all he was snatched away! "was trans- 
lated that he should not see death." 

Now that faith which thus honours and 
pleases God, must surely be of great value; 
must be precious indeed ! O ! that we had 
more of this precious faith in this our day! 
Let each Christian now lift up his heart, and 
say: Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief! 
Lord increase my faith ! Precious faith ! But 
again : 

V. Faith unites to Christ, in our effectual 
calling. It binds the soul of the believer to 
Christ in bonds never to be broken. This is 
its chief excellence — this is its crowning glory ; 
for what can the ivy do without the oak? and 
what can such poor sinners as we are do with- 
out a Saviour? But faith not only links the 
soul to Christ, but creates a union, mysterious 
and divine. Is Jesus Christ the vine? Believ- 
ers are the branches. Is Jesus Christ the head? 
Believers are the members. Is Jesus Christ the 
bridegroom? Believers are the bride. Nay, 



SECOND SERIES. 



35 



the apostle uses language, if possible, stronger 
still; for, says he, "We are members of his 
body, of his flesh, and of his bones !" Precious 
faith! uniting us to Christ, it makes us par- 
takers of his righteousness; and possessed of 
this, our peace is made with God, and we are 
safe and happy for ever, for thus it is written : 
"There is therefore now no condemnation to 
them which are in Christ Jesus." And again : 
" Being justified by faith, we have peace with 
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. By 
whom also we have access by faith into this 
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of 
the glory of God." Precious faith! How 
precious it must be in a day of trouble ! O ! 
how precious in a dying hour ! 

And now, in closing : — How very simple and 
beautiful is the way of salvation ! We are not 
required to traverse oceans, nor scale moun- 
tains, nor study abstruse sciences. We are 
not required to go on a pilgrimage to the tomb 
of some prophet, or the shrine of some martyr. 
What says the Saviour? "As Moses lifted up 
the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the 
Son of Man be lifted up ; that whosoever believ- 
eth in him should not perish, but have eternal 
life." And again, the Saviour, knowing how 
prone many persons are to stumble at the sim- 
plicity of the way of salvation, comes over the 
same ground, in the very next verse; for, says 



36 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



he, " God so loved the world, that he gave his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
him should not perish, but have everlasting 
life." In accordance with this, when the 
trembling convicted jailor, at Philippi, pro- 
pounded to Paul and Silas that important in- 
quiry, " O sirs, what must I do to be saved ?" 
the prompt reply was, " Believe in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Yes, 
faith in Christ is the grand requisite. This is 
heaven's plan, and let none stumble at its sim- 
plicity; for every thing that God does, is 
marked with simplicity. If you and I had the 
lighting up of the world, what a complicated 
machinery we would have! How many 
torches and lamps ! and the world would not 
be well lighted up then. But God proposes to 
light up the world, and mark! one brilliant 
sun, like an urn of overflowing light, pours 
day, beauteous day upon the world. How 
much better than all our torches and lamps ! 
Even so, all the efforts of all the men in the 
world cannot save one sinner from the damna- 
tion of hell! But, thank God! one loving 
Jesus, one dear, dying Christ, can save mil- 
lions ! Aye, can save millions crowding upon 
millions! — Can save, and will save, all who 
will cordially receive him as he is offered in 
the*gospel ! And now, if there be a burdened 
sinner present who desires salvation, let him 



SECOND SERIES. 



37 



remember the words of the blessed Saviour, 
already recited, " As Moses lifted up the ser- 
pent in the wilderness, even so must the Son 
of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth 
in him should not perish, but have eternal 
life." This is a beam of light divine. This is 
the gospel in miniature! And, if the whole 
Bible were destroyed, and this fragment only 
left, we would have enough to point out our 
pathway to heaven. Remember, the language 
is the language of the Saviour himself, and his 
illustration is most striking and to the point. 
The children of Israel were bitten by fiery ser- 
pents; the venom was deadly. Moses could 
not heal them ; the elders of Israel could not 
heal them, nor could they heal themselves. 
God alone could meet the case. And, accord- 
ingly, in the plenitude of his mercy, he directs 
Moses to prepare a brazen serpent, and lift it 
upon a pole, and pledged the veracity of a God 
that whosoever, when bitten, should look, 
should live. Here is a man bitten ! O ! send 
for Moses — send for the elders. They come. 
What is the matter? A serpent has bitten 
me, and I am in agony — I am dying ! Moses, 
help me! I can't help you, says Moses. 
Elders of Israel, help a dying man! We 
can't help you. What is to be done? Must 
I die? O no, says Moses; yonder is God's 
remedy ; only look, and you shall live. The 
4 



38 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



dying man, as the last resort, turns his dying 
eyes ; they look upon the serpent, and instant- 
ly he springs up, and exclaims in the joy of 
his heart, I am cured ! I am a sound man ! 
Well, says Moses, this is just what God has 
said, Look, and you shall live. Even so, one 
look of faith at the blessed Redeemer, and the 
sinner is converted ! One look of faith at the 
great atoning sacrifice, and his sins are all 
forgiven! Yea, one look of faith at the dear, 
dying Christ, and the universe is changed in. 
relation to the sinner, and there are shoutings 
in heaven over him: — " The dead is alive, and 
the lost is found again." Yes, this is the way 
of salvation, as it is written, " Look unto me, 
and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth, for I 
am God, and beside me there is none else." 
And again, " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved." 

Travelling as a missionary once, I came 
to a house of entertainment. Although an 
utter stranger, I was, when known to be a 
minister, invited to hold family worship. I 
read in the third chapter of the Gospel of John, 
from the fourteenth to the nineteenth verse; 
and, in commenting upon the portion read, I 
remarked that the way of salvation was very 
simple. The case was simply this: The sin- 
ner is lost ; he can no more save himself than 
he can roll a. mountain, or heave an ocean* 



SECOND SERIES. 



4 

89 



He is not required to save himself. A Saviour, 
an all-sufficient and most precious Saviour, 
is provided ; and, if the sinner will only cor- 
dially accept of him, as he is freely offered 
in the gospel, he shall be saved. A daughter 
of the man of the house, had, it seems, 
been under serious impressions for two long 
years; but, as yet, had obtained no hope. 
She listened to my remarks; she drank in 
every word, and was much wrought upon. 
During prayer she wept; and as she rose to 
her feet, at the conclusion of the prayer, she 
exclaimed, "I have found my Saviour! O 
my father, my mother," said she, "I have 
found my blessed Saviour!" "Well," said I, 
"Is Jesus Christ a precious Saviour?" " O!" 
replied she, " he is the blessedest Saviour that 
ever was." "Well, what would you take for 
your hope?" "I would not take the whole 
world," said she, "all in silver and gold." 
Awakened sinner! stumble not at the simplici- 
ty of the way of salvation. Remember, it is 
written, " God so loved the world that he gave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believ- 
eth in him should not perish, but have ever- 
lasting life." This is true— it is divinely true. 
O ! be persuaded to fall in with this plan of 
salvation. — " Believe, and take the promised 
rest; obey, and be for ever blest." Precious 
faith ! 



40 



REVIVAL SERMONS* 



SERMON II. 

THE FULFILMENT OF SCRIPTURE PROPHECY. 

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, hut holy men of God 
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. — 2 Peter i. 21. 

When the apostle Peter wrote this, his second 
and last epistle, being aware that he must soon 
go the way of all the earth, he seems to have 
been particularly desirous that his Christian 
brethren should distinctly bear in mind one 
thing— that they had " not followed cunningly 
devised fables;" that the Saviour whom they 
received was indeed the predicted Messiah, 
and consequently the religion which he pro- 
mulged was true — was divinely true. With 
regard to himself, if there were no other 
evidence of the fact, the transfiguration scene 
was of itself sufficiently convincing, for he 
was an eye-witness of his majesty, when there 
came such a voice from the excellent glory, 
saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased." "But," continues he, "w r e 
have more sure word of prophecy, whereunto 
ye do well to take heed, as to a light shining 
in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the 
day-star arise in your hearts." The main idea 
here seems to be this : while the miraculous 
attestation given to the character of Christ on 



SECOND SERIES. 



41 



the mount of transfiguration was abundantly- 
sufficient to satisfy himself and others who 
were eye-witnesses on the occasion, it might 
not be convincing to such as had not been 
present, and therefore he refers them to what 
he denominates the more sure word of pro- 
phecy — more sure, because more capable of 
being more deliberately and severely tested. 
You perceive, my brethren, that the apostle 
laj^s great stress upon prophecy, as furnishing 
a powerful argument for the truth of the 
Christian religion; and I am free to say that 
I do think it furnishes an argument which can 
neither be gainsayed nor resisted; an argu- 
ment which can bear the most thorough exam- 
ination, and which will stand the "test of 
scrutiny, of talents, and of time." 

I. In relation to Abraham, when he was 
aged, and yet childless, and Sarah his wife 
also well stricken in age, it was predicted that 
his seed should be exceedingly numerous. 
"If," said God, "a man can number the dust 
of the earth, then shall thy seed also be num- 
bered." About four hundred years after this, 
the children of Israel (only a portion of his 
posterity) came out of Egypt, and encamped 
in the plains of Moab. an exceeding great mul- 
titude. Balak, king of Moab, alarmed for the 
safety of his dominions, sends for Balaam, the 
prophet of Aram — and mark what is said: 
4* 



42 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



" Behold there is a people come out of Egypt : 
behold they cover the face of the earth ! Come 
now I pray thee and curse me this people, for 
they are too mighty for me." When Balaam 
came, having erected his altars and offered 
sacrifices, he took up his parable, and said : — 
[Mark his language!]— "Balak, king of Moab, 
hath brought me from Aram, out of the moun- 
tains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, 
and come, defy Israel. How shall I curse 
whom God hath not cursed ? and how shall I 
defy, whom the Lord hath not defied ? From 
the top of the rocks I see him, and from the 
hills I behold him ! Lo, this people shall dwell 
alone, and not be reckoned among the nations ! 
Who can count the dust of Jacob, or the num- 
ber of the fourth part of Israel?'' Here you 
perceive that the thing which particularly 
struck the prophet of Aram was the exceeding 
great number of the people spread out before 
him. 

But there is another prophecy in relation to 
Abraham, which is perhaps still more remark- 
able. It is this : I will make thy name great 
in the earth. Now, let it be remembered, that 
when this language was uttered Abraham was 
but a plain man, dwelling in tents. He was 
no statesman, no warrior ; he was no poet, no 
orator. There was nothing about him which 
promised to twine around his brow the laurels 



SECOND SERIES. 



43 



of fame ; nothing whatever which seemed cal- 
culated to stamp his character with immortali- 
ty. He was only, as we have said, a plain 
man, dwelling in tents ; and yet it was predicted 
that his name should be great in the earth. 
And has not this prophecy been literally ful- 
filled ? Is not his name great in the earth at 
the present time? Has it not been great 
for, lo! these many thousand years? Most 
of the nations of the East endeavour to trace 
up their genealogy to this wonderful man. 
With regard to the Jews, his lineal descend- 
ants, we all know how proud they are of 
him as their great progenitor; and even we 
gentile Christians, made the children of Abra- 
ham by faith, even we also have for him a 
most profound veneration. Tell me, my bre- 
thren, who and where is the man, . and in what 
age did he ever live, whose name is to be com- 
pared with that of Abraham? We have heard 
of Nebuchadnezzar the Great, and Pompey the 
Great, and Alexander the Great, and Herod, 
and Frederick, and Napoleon the Great, but the 
name of Abraham is far greater than each — far 
greater than all ! Is not this remarkable ? Is 
it not strong proof of the inspiration of the 
sacred volume? Young man, your mother is 
right ! The Bible is true. Beware how you 
slight it ! It will cost you your soul! 

II. In Genesis ix. 27, we have a very remark- 



44 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



able prophecy, uttered by Noah: "God shall 
enlarge Japheth: he shall dwell in the tents 
of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." 
The first thing, in relation to this prophecy, 
which we would notice is this, that here, in 
three sentences, embracing only twenty words, 
Noah sketches the outline of the history of the 
whole human race, descending from his three 
sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Notice each 
prediction : "God shall enlarge Japheth." Dr. 
Scott says that Japheth seems to have been 
the progenitor of more than one-half of the 
human family! Besides occupying a large 
part of Asia, they spread over all Europe. 
They swarm in the West India Islands, and 
nearly cover all America, north and south. 
Thus, in exact accordance with the prophecy, 
God has enlarged Japheth. But it is also 
said, " He shall dwell in the tents of Shem." 
Now, whether this prophecy has relation to 
political or religious privileges, it has been 
most remarkably fulfilled. It is well known, 
that political power has, to a great extent, 
passed over from the children of Shem to the 
children of Japheth ; and, in religious matters 
also, (the gospel, for example,) we see with our 
own eyes that Japheth has supplanted Shem. 
The Jews, for their unbelief, have been cut 
off, and we gentiles, and children of Japheth, 
have been brought in. The aborigines of this 



SECOND SERIES. 



45 



country, beyond all doubt, are the children of 
Shem ; and have not the children of Japheth, 
passing over from the Old World here, on this 
Western Continent, literally taken possession 
of the tents of Shem? Where your house 
now stands was once an Indian wigwam ; and 
where our cities now rise in splendour, were 
seen, two centuries ago, the villages of the 
red men of the West. Yes, by treaty and 
by conquest, by fair means and foul means, 
the children of Japheth have lorded it over 
the children of Shem, and are at this very 
time dwelling in their tents. But the pro- 
phet adds, "And Canaan shall be his ser- 
vant." And where, I would ask, do those 
in servitude chiefly come from, if not from 
Africa, the home of Ham, the father of Ca- 
naan? Ham, it seems, has never shaken a 
sceptre over Japheth. Shem has subdued 
Japheth, and Japheth has subdued Shem; but 
Ham has subdued neither. And thus we see 
that each item of Noah's prophecy has been 
most remarkably fulfilled. "God shall en- 
large Japheth ; he shall dwell in the tents of 
Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." 
How is this to be accounted for? Peter tells 
us, " prophecy came not in old time by the 
will of man ; but holy men of God spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 

III. The next remarkable prophecy to which 



46 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



I shall call your attention is found in Exodus 
xxxiv. 24: " Neither shall any man desire thy 
land when thou shalt go up to appear before 
the Lord thy God, thrice in the year." By 
reference to the context, it will be seen that 
Moses had given directions, that when the 
children of Israel had taken possession of the 
promised land, there should be a gathering 
together of the men, from all their coasts, to 
worship at one altar thrice in every year. 
Anticipating an objection which might very 
naturally be made, that this would hold out a 
temptation to lawless and predatory bands to 
take advantage of the occasion to~rob and 
plunder, Moses, to set them at rest upon this 
point, utters the bold prophecy recited : " Nei- 
ther shall any man desire thy land when thou 
shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy 
God, thrice in the year." Now, this prophecy 
was either fulfilled, or not fulfilled. If not, 
how shall we account for the fact — the w T ell 
known fact — that year after year, and age after 
age, the males did go up to Jerusalem with 
their offerings, as directed. Suppose, for 
example, relying upon the protecting provi- 
dence of God, promised by Moses, they had 
gone up, and upon their return, had found 
that this protecting providence had not been 
vouchsafed, think you that they w T ould have 
gone up again ? I suspect not. They would 



SECOND SERIES. 



47 



have seen that an imposition of a very serious 
character had been practised upon them ; and 
one imposition of this kind would have 
sufficed. They would have gone up and left 
their families and possessions defenceless no 
more. Now, the question is, how could 
Moses, how could any uninspired man, have 
foreseen that such a remarkable (may I not 
say miraculous) providence would be spreading 
its protecting shield over them year after year? 
This is truly a very remarkable case, and is 
worthy of the serious thought of every sceptic 
in the land. It furnishes an argument for the 
truth of the Bible, which I humbly conceive 
cannot be set aside. Yes, the Bible is true ! 
Thank God, it comes to us with " credentials 
clear," "on every line marked with the seal of 
high divinity." 

IV. In the ninth chapter of the book of 
Daniel, from the 24th verse to the close of that 
chapter, we have a rich cluster of prophecies 
in relation to the Messiah. We will point out 
only two or three, and those the fulfilment of 
which is remarkably clear and manifest. 1. It 
w r as predicted that he, the true Messiah, when 
he came, should cause the sacrifice and oblation 
to cease. Was not this a very strange predic- 
tion? Shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to 
cease! Were not these of divine appointment? 
Did they not form the very sum and substance 



48 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of the Jew's religion ? How unlikely was the 
fulfilment of this prediction ! And yet, has it 
not been literally fulfilled? Christ, by his 
death upon the cross, superseded the necessity 
of all the levitical sacrifices under the law. 
" It is finished," said he, as he bowed his head 
upon the cross, and the old dispensation then 
passed away. No acceptable sacrifice was 
offered after that : aye, and soon the very altar 
was demolished — and lo! the sacrificial fire 
has been quenched for these eighteen hundred 
years! It is well known that sacrifices and 
offerings were permitted to be made in Jerusa- 
lem only. This holy city, having passed over 
into the hands of the gentiles, the sacrifice and 
offering have literally ceased, even down to the 
present day, so that we can now see the fulfil- 
ment of this prophecy with our own eyes. 
But another prediction is this: " He shall seal 
up the vision and the prophecy." That is, 
shall close the sacred canon. Turn to the last 
chapter of the book of Revelation, and you 
will find these words: "If any man shall add 
unto these things, God shall add unto him the 
plagues that are written in this book." And 
mark who the speaker is: "I, Jesus, have sent 
mine angel to testify unto you these things in 
the churches." Here you perceive the blessed 
Saviour, the true Messiah, (just as it was pre- 
dicted so long time ago,) with authority, closes 



SECOND SERIES. 49 

the sacred canon. * It is true — the papal coun- 
cil of Trent, in the sixteenth century, had 
the hardihood and daring wickedness to add 
the Apocrypha, (books which the Jews them- 
selves never received as inspired,) and what 
was this? Evidence that the prophecy was 
not fulfilled by Christ, as the Messiah ? Nay, 
verily, but proof positive that the papal 
Church, thus trampling upon the authority of 
of Christ, is, in deed and in truth, the anti- 
christian power, which itself also was predict- 
ed. A third prediction in this connection is 
this: "The people of the prince that shall 
come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." 
And who is this prince, in whose day the city 
and the sanctuary were destroyed? Titus, 
the Roman commander — was it done by his 
authority ? No, he endeavoured to prevent it. 
He gave orders to his soldiers to spare the 
temple; but they were too strong for him. 
" When they had gotten within the walls of 
the city," Josephus states, " they were seized 
with a kind of frenzy, and, hurling firebrands 
upon that magnificent edifice, it was, with the 
city, soon laid in ruins." Note the accuracy 
of the prediction; not the prince, but the people 
of the prince, shall destroy the city and the 
sanctuary. With regard to the seventy weeks 
spoken of, it is thought to be one of the most 
remarkable prophecies upon sacred record, and 
5 



50 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



one of those most exactly fulfilled. Almost 
any commentator will show that the event cor- 
responds to the prediction, to the very letter. 

V. In the forty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, we 
find another Old Testament prophecy, refer- 
ring to New Testament times. " I will pour 
water upon him that is thirsty, and floods 
upon the dry ground. I will pour my spirit 
upon thy seed ; and my blessing upon thine 
offspring : and they shall spring up, as among 
the grass, and as willows by the water- 
courses." How descriptive is this of those re- 
vival scenes which have no signally character- 
ized gospel times, beginning with the outpour- 
ing of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. 
And, referring to the spreading of religion 
amongst the gentiles, the prophet adds, " One 
shall say I am the Lord's, and another shall 
call himself by the name of Jacob, and shall 
subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and 
shall sirname himself by the name of Israel." 
And how descriptive is this also, of what many 
of us have seen with our own eyes, when in 
times of revival converts came forward, in 
crowds, and avouched Jehovah, the God of 
Israel, to be their covenant God and Father ! 
But, what makes the matter yet more remark- 
able, is this, that the same prophet tells us that 
these converts shall be called by another name, 
and a new name, (See Isaiah lxii. 2, and lxv. 



SECOND SERIES. 



51 



15.) And is not this also even so? Original- 
ly the people of God were called " Israelites;" 
now they are termed " Christians." And is not 
this another name? And is it not also a new 
name? Luke says the disciples were first 
called Christians at Antioch. Acts xi. 26. And 
now, my brethren, how can w 7 e account for 
these things? Believe me, Peter tells us the 
true way, and there is no other: " Prophecy 
came not in old time, by the will of man ; but 
holy men of God spake as they were moved 
by the Holy Ghost." Surely the Bible is true, 
is divinely true ! 

VI. In the thirty-fifth chapter of Jeremiah 
we have a prophecy rarely adverted to, and yet 
one that is exceedingly remarkable. " Jonadab 
the son of Rechab shall not want a man to 
stand before me for ever, because he hath 
obeyed the voice of his father." The state- 
ment of the case is in substance this: — In the 
days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of 
Judah, the word of the Lord came unto Jere- 
miah, saying: Go unto the house of the 
Rechabites, and bring them into the house of 
the Lord, into one of the chambers of the 
priests, and give them wine to drink. And 
when they w r ere brought in, Jeremiah set be- 
fore them pots full of wine, and cups, and said 
unto them, Drink ye wine. But they said, 
We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of 



52 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, Ye 
shall drink no wine, neither shall ye build 
houses, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyards, nor 
have any, but all your days ye shall dwell in 
tents; and we have done according to all that 
Jonadab our father commanded us. And Jere- 
miah said unto the house of the Rechabites: 
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 
Because ye have obeyed the commandment of 
Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, 
and done according to all that he commanded 
you, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, 
the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab 
shall not want a man to stand before me for 
ever! — This is the prophecy; now let us 
trace its fulfilment. Some thirty years ago, 
Joseph Wolf, a missionary of the East, being 
in Mesopotamia, whilst conversing with the 
Jews, saw a man standing at a little distance 
holding a horse by the bridle. " There is one 
of the Rechabites," said the Jews. Imme- 
diately going up to him, the missionary in- 
quired who he was. "I am Mousa," said he; 
and turning to the thirty-fifth chapter of Jere- 
miah, in a Bible which the missionary handed 
to him, he read in Arabic the whole chapter. 
"Here," said he, "is my lineage;" and added, 
" come with me, and I will show you that we 
number sixty thousand at the present day !" 
Saying this he mounted his steed, and, says 



SECOND SERIES. 



53 



the missionary, flew with the swiftness of the 
w r ind, leaving behind him a standing monu- 
ment of the fact that " Prophecy came not in 
old time by the will of man ; but holy men of 
God spake as they were moved by the Holy 
Ghost," Well did Peter call it a " sure word 
of prophecy." 

VII. With regard to the prophecies in relation 
to the Jews, there are none which have been 
more remarkably fulfilled, but they have been 
frequently presented ; therefore, on the present 
occasion, I will pass over them very briefly. 
It was predicted that they should be a peculiar 
people — and have they not for ages and ages 
been a peculiar people, and are they not a 
peculiar people at the present time ? — peculiar 
in their habits and manners; peculiar in their 
very looks? It was predicted that they should 
be scattered — and where is there a nation 
under heaven where some of this peculiar peo- 
ple are not found? It was predicted that they 
should be persecuted — only read the history of 
the Jews, and you will find abundant evidence 
that this prophecy has been fulfilled to the 
very letter! It was predicted that they should 
become a proverb and a by-word — and how 
common are such sayings as these : " As rich 
as a Jew;" and "Take care of that man, he 
will Jew you." It was predicted that they 
should dwell alone, and not be reckoned 
5* 



54 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



amongst the nations — and is not this their con- 
dition at the present time ? and has it not been 
such, for, lo! these many years? " The chil- 
dren of Israel shall abide many days," says the 
prophet, u without a king, without a prince, 
and without a sacrifice, and without an image, 
and without an ephod, and without a teraphim. 
Afterwards shall the children of Israel return, 
and seek the Lord their God, and David their 
king, and shall fear the Lord and his goodness 
in the latter days." Hosea iii. 4, 5. For eigh- 
teen hundred years the children of Israel have 
had no king, no prince, no sacrifice, no image, 
no ephod, no teraphim, and they now seem 
evidently awaiting some great event about to 
take place in these latter days. I do say, that 
the past history of the Jews, and their present 
condition, furnish an evidence for the inspira- 
tion of the sacred Scriptures, which, I am bold 
to affirm, cannot be overturned or set aside. 
Young man ! I repeat what I said before: your 
mother is right ! The Bible is true ! Beware 
how you make light of it! It will cost you 
your soul ! 

VIII. One prophecy more and I have done. 
It is found in Daniel xii. 4. "Many shall run 
to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." 
This prophecy is invested with peculiar inte- 
rest, as, I verily believe, it has special reference 
to these last days, or the times in which we 



SECOND SERIES. 



55 



live. By reference to the context, it will be 
seen that the prophet speaks of the rising of an 
antichristian power, which should continue 
twelve hundred and sixty years; and that 
about the time of its going down, " many shall 
run to and fro, and knowledge shall be in- 
creased." There are two periods from which 
Protestants usually date the rising of this anti- 
christian power; one is from the year 606, 
when Boniface III. became universal bishop; 
and the other is one hundred and fifty years 
later, in the year 756, when Stephen I., bishop 
of Rome, was made a temporal prince. Cer- 
tainly, on each of these occasions, we see the 
"Man of Sin" looking out. Take the first. 
In the year 606 the bishop of Rome usurped 
the title of universal bishop. Was not this in 
direct opposition to the spirit and teachings of 
our blessed Saviour? It will be recollected that 
when, on a certain occasion, the apostles dis- 
puted among themselves which of them should 
be the greatest, the Saviour gave them a re- 
buke which they seem never to have forgotten 
to their dying day. And it is remarkable that 
even to the time of Gregory I., only a few 
years previous to Boniface III , this love of 
pre-eminence, or spirit of domination, was con- 
sidered an unequivocal mark of antichrist; for, 
when the patriarch of Constantinople assumed 
the name and title of universal bishop, Grego- 



56 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ry L made this remark, that "Whoever as- 
sumes the name or title of universal bishop, is 
antichrist, or the forerunner of antichrist." 
The bishop of Rome then being judge, the 
bishop of Rome, assuming, in the year 606, 
this very title, became antichristian in his cha- 
racter. Reckoning twelve hundred and sixty 
years from that period, (allowing three hun- 
dred and sixty days to the year,) will bring us 
to the year eighteen hundred and forty-eight, a 
year most memorable in the calendar of time, 
when the Pope of Rome was driven from his 
throne, and his tiara made to trail in the dust. 
Certainly there was then a blow given to that 
power, w r hich, to say the least, marked a new 
and most disastrous era in the history of the 
Church of Rome. The other period from 
which we usually date the rising of this anti- 
christian power, is, as we have said, one hun- 
dred and fifty years later, when Stephen I., 
bishop of Rome, became a temporal prince. 
And it must be confessed that then the fea- 
tures of the Man of Sin were much more 
clearly and distinctly marked. A temporal 
prince! A temporal prince! What warrant 
had he for this? What said the Saviour? 
" My kingdom is not of this world. If my 
kingdom were of this world, then would my 
servants fight ; but now is my kingdom not of 
this world." You see, my brethren, the oppo- 



SECOND SERIES. 



57 



sition, the direct opposition of the Pope of 
Rome to Christ and his authority. How pal- 
pable ! how daring! Look a little longer at 
the matter. The Pope wears a crown. Did 
Christ wear a crowm? Ah ! me, he did wear a 
crown, but it was a crown of thorns. The 
Pope wears a crown, set with jewels; Christ, a 
crown interwoven with thorns. Is the servant 
greater than his master? or he that is sent 
greater than he who sent him? But it is said 
the Pope is the successor of Peter, the prince 
of the apostles. Did Paul acknowledge him 
as prince/ when he rebuked him at Antioch? 
Did James, when he presided himself at the 
council held in Jerusalem? Did the council, 
when they sent him upon an errand into gen- 
tile lands? or did Peter himself, when he used 
this unassuming language, " The elders which 
are among you I exhort, who am also an 
elder?" The fact is, if any of the apostles was 
prince, or primate, it must have been Paul, for 
it was he, and not Peter, w T ho affirmed that 
"the care of all the churches w r as upon him." 
The case is clear; the Church of Rome is the 
antichristian power spoken of by Daniel, and 
by John also, which was to rule with a high 
hand, and continue twelve hundred and sixty 
years. But whether the rising of this anti 
christian power be dated from the year 606, or 
one hundred and fifty years after, it matters 



58 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



not; the time of the end is near. As for my- 
self, I deem both calculations correct. As 
there was more than one period from which 
we date the beginning of the Babylonish cap- 
tivity, which was to last seventy years, and 
each was right, (seventy years carrying us to 
some corresponding decree for the restoration 
of the Jews,) even so, in this case, twelve hun- 
dred and sixty years from the first mentioned 
period, will carry us to the first effectual blow 
given to this antichristian power; twelve hun- 
dred and sixty from the second, will carry us 
to the last: for according to the Scriptures, 
this power is not to be crushed in a day; it 
will die hard, and its last convulsive agonies 
must needs be protracted. If, then, twelve 
hundred and sixty years from the first date 
bring us to the period when the great power of 
the Man of Sin shall be broken, twelve hun- 
dred and sixty years from the second date will 
bring us to the grand predicted consummation, 
when great voices shall be heard in heaven, 
saying, " Babylon the great, is fallen, is fall- 
en!" and amid Alleluias innumerable, her 
smoke shall go up for ever and ever ! But, in 
any case, one thing is evident, Daniel's vision 
is closing; for it is to be known by this: In 
the time of the end u many shall run to and 
fro, and knowledge shall be increased." What 
a mighty moving amongst the nations has 



SECOND SERIES. 



59 



there been in these latter ages ! What a spirit 
of emigration! How they crowd in upon us 
from the old world! Every ship comes 
freighted with human beings. The tide of 
population flowing in upon us from all quar- 
ters of the earth, is immense — something like 
three hundred thousand every year. And how 
many, in our own land, are going east, west, 
north, and south, as business, or trade, or 
fancy may direct. I am bold to say, that at 
this present time there is more of this running 
to and fro, than was ever known before. Yes, 
literally " running." What is now the usual 
mode of travelling? Is it not in steamboats 
and railroad cars? And do we not speak of 
one " running" ten, twelve, and fourteen miles 
an hour? and the other !" running" twenty, 
thirty, forty, and even fifty miles an hour? 
What multitudes are upon the move now, and 
with what speed do they go! Surely the pro- 
phet's mental ray was purged, and it was when 
he was under the inspiration of the Almighty, 
that he uttered this prediction — " Many shall 
run to and fro;" but this is not all; he adds, 
" knowledge shall be increased." 

And is there not at this time a spirit of 
inquiry, and a spirit of inquiry such as was 
never known before? Is not the schoolmaster 
abroad, and the lecturer abroad, and the mis- 
sionary abroad? It was said, " The Lord gave 



60 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



the command, and great was the company that 
published it." And so, at the present time, 
the Lord has willed it that knowledge shall be 
increased ; and how many, and varied in their 
characters, are those who are carrying the 
lights of science and religion into every land ! 
Old landmarks are breaking down ; old preju- 
dices are passing away; and sacrifices are 
now being kindled in every valley, and on 
every mountain-top, not only throughout our 
boundless continent, but even in the islands 
which are afar off. This new order of things 
may be dated from the period of the Reforma- 
tion. Then was the long slumber of ages 
broken; then was the morning-star seen to 
rise in splendour; and then could the great 
Reformers exclaim with the voice of joy and 
praise, " the night is far spent ; the day is at 
hand V Yea, congratulating each other, they 
might well indulge in the language of tri- 
umph and exultation, and say, 

• " Christian, see the orient morning 

Breaks along the darkened sky ! 
Lo ! the expected day is dawning, 

Glorious Day-Spring from on high. 
Zion's Sun, salvation beaming, 

Gilding now the radiant hills, 
Rise and shine, till, brighter beaming, 

All the world thy glory fills V 9 

What inventions, what discoveries, what 
improvements have marked these latter ages ! 



SECOND SERIES. Gl 

First, we may mention the mariner's compass, 
by which new oceans have been traversed, 
and new continents, and islands, and people, 
and plants have been discovered ; and thus 
enlarging the bounds of human knowledge. 
And then comes the telescope, spreading out 
before the mind the immensity of the empire 
of God, such as was never dreamed of before. 
In former times it was supposed that there 
were no more than a thousand stars, (for 
this is about the number seen by the naked 
eye,) but now we are told that eighty mil- 
lions have been brought within the range of 
human vision, by this powerful, this wonderful 
instrument, invented by the ingenuity of man. 
Next comes the microscope, which adds great- 
ly to our knowledge, bringing to view a new 
universe. This language may seem strange, 
but it is literally true. Yes, bringing to view 
a new universe of minute existences, so ex- 
ceedingly minute, that it requires no less than 
ten thousand of them to occupy the space of a 
grain of sand! And then comes the printing- 
press, that noble invention, which has served 
to cheapen knowledge, and diffuse it far and 
wide. Time was, when a Bible would cost 
five hundred dollars ; now it can be purchased 
for less than fifty cents! Time was, when it 
was the work of years; now it can be done 
in less than an hour! The American Bible 
6 



62 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

Society alone strikes off twenty thousand co- 
pies of the sacred Scriptures in a single day ! 
And the whole Testament can be printed 
in less than one minute! This invention of 
printing has marked a new epoch in the his- 
tory of the world, and has served to spread 
light and increase knowledge far, very far 
beyond any thing that our progenitors ever 
dreamed of. "What an immense number of 
new books are continually coming from the 
press! And, as for newspapers, periodicals, 
and tracts of every kind, they are now being 
scattered over the wide world like the leaves 
of autumn, when the trees of the forest are 
swept by the mighty winds of heaven. Even 
children now are supplied abundantly with 
reading matter, rich and varied. Even so late 
as when I was a child, the grand total of a 
library for those in tender years amounted to 
(so far as known to me) not more than some 
six or eight little books; now many Sabbath- 
schools have at least one thousand volumes 
each. One of the prophets, referring to the 
increasing of knowledge in the latter days, 
says, "a child shall die a hundred years old." 
Now we can understand what must have 
appeared very strange to those in former times : 
it is now literally true, that one dying in 
childhood, in this day of increasing light, may 
know more than many a one who died, in 



SECOND SERIES. 63 

former times, bowed down under the weight of 
a hundred years. 

The steam-power, too — what miracles has 
that wrought! What a new impulse has it 
given to printing, travelling, manufactures, 
and improvements of every kind! Now we 
are in possession of the secret of perform- 
ing by one hand what required a hundred 
in days gone by. Moreover, we have now 
the blind man's book. Did our fathers ever 
hear of such a thing as teaching the blind 
to read? Our Saviour enabled the blind to 
see by miraculously opening their eyes ; but 
now, without a miracle, they are taught, not to 
see, but to read. And is not this the increas- 
ing of knowledge in a new quarter? And 
besides the blind man's book, have we not 
the diving bell, an invention of these latter 
ages, by which a man can go down into the 
deep, and bring up treasures long buried 
there. And have we not the submarine tele- 
scope, by which a seaman standing upon the 
deck of a vessel in the midst of the ocean, 
can look down into the blue water, and see 
distinctly the bottom of that vessel, even the 
head of every nail and every crack : — and the 
submarine battery, by which a man on shore, 
and hidden from view, can in a moment of time 
blow up a ship of war, and even a whole fleet, 
forty miles distant, by an unseen hand. You 



64 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

have witnessed the wonders of the daguerreo- 
type. Time was, when, if you wished your own 
likeness taken, or that of a friend, there must 
be at least three sittings : two hours the first 
day, two hours the second, and one the third. 
Now, one sitting may suffice, and that for less 
than one minute! Had a person predicted 
this thirty years ago, he would have been 
esteemed a visionary and a madman. More- 
over, by the inventive power of man, our 
streets can now be lighted without oil, and our 
houses without candles. Did our fathers know 
how this could be done ? Ice is now made a 
staple, and straw converted into paper. "Who 
ever heard of such a thing fifty years ago? 
In medical science, and mental science, and 
geological science, how many new facts have 
been established, and how many wonderful 
discoveries have been made! But, not to 
enlarge, there is that " wonder of all wonders" 
— that great wonder of the age — the magnetic 
telegraph ! Who ever heard of mortal man's 
annihilating time and space? And yet here 
is an invention which, to all intents and pur- 
poses, does it; for, in the conveyance of a 
message, there is no perceptible difference 
between one mile and ten thousand. A per- 
son in New York may converse with his 
friend in St. Louis with the same ease and in 
the same time that he could converse with his 



SECOND SERIES. 



65 



friend, in writing, in the same room. Nay, 
matters can be so arranged, that a person in 
St. Louis, some twelve or fifteen hundred 
miles distant, may be reading the message of 
the President at half after eleven o'clock, that 
very message which is not to be read in Wash- 
ington City until the clock there strikes 
twelve. This seems not only like annihila- 
ting space, but outstripping time itself. Only 
think : mortal man, so to speak, grasping the 
lightnings of heaven, which play around the 
throne of the eternal God, and converting 
them into swift messengers to go and come at 
his command, saying: "Haste, my servant, 
carry this message to my friend beyond broad 
rivers and towering mountains; — fly, swifter 
than the wind ! In less than a moment, bear 
my message — in less than a moment, bring 
his answer back!" How astonishing is this! 
How it spreads knowledge ; and how it proves 
its mighty increase ! When I think upon the 
wonderful inventions, discoveries, develope- 
ments, and improvements of these latter times, 
I am amazed. It would seem, that we are 
coming too near the throne of the Eternal; 
that we have actually intruded ourselves 
into his presence-chamber, and are within the 
precincts of the place where archangels dwell. 
Is not the inventive power of man, of the pre- 
sent age, like the pride of Nimrod, who, in the 
6* 



66 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



loftiness of his aspirations, said, "Come, let us 
make a tower, whose top shall reach unto 
heaven." At any rate, I have thought that if 
the mind of man, now so luminous, should 
explode, it would be in a shower of sparks, 
astonishing the world with the brilliancy of 
its corruscations. The prophet, some twenty- 
five hundred years ago, referring, as we verily 
believe, to the very age in which we live, 
uttered the prophecy, " Many shall run to and 
fro, and knowledge shall be increased." How 
clear must have been the visions of him who 
could predict such things! Every thing was 
as if then passing directly and in full view 
before his eyes. Surely the most sceptical 
must now bow before the power of divine 
truth. Surely the most obstinate must admit 
that " prophecy came not in old time by the 
will of man, but holy men of God spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 

And now, if these prophecies are true, must 
not all others recorded in the same sacred 
volume bear the same sacred character ? Per- 
mit me simply to remind you of a few : — 
u Say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with 
them; wo to the wicked, it shall bd^ill with 
him." "He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved, but he that believeth not, shall 
be damned." "The hour cometh when all 
that are in their graves shall hear the voice of 



SECOND SERIES. 



67 



the Son of God, and shall come forth; they 
that have done good to the resurrection of life, 
and they that have done evil to the resurrec- 
tion of damnation." Let then the righteous 
rejoice, for heaven, with all its joys, is just at 
hand! Let the sinner tremble, for hell, with 
all its sorrows, is not far off! Another mo- 
ment, and the Christian may be in paradise 
with God and his angels! Another moment, 
and the Christless soul may be in tophet, with 
devils and damned spirits ! Awake, one ! 
awake, all! for eternity is nigh, even at the 
door, and the night cometh, when no man can 
work ! Let no one trifle with matters of such 
high import! The Bible is true, and all its 
declarations may assuredly be depended upon. 
The argument for the inspiration of the sacred 
volume drawn from prophecy, is only one 
amongst many, but is of itself convincing ; 
and the man who is an unbeliever, in view of 
the evidence drawn from this source, would 
not believe though one rose from the dead. 
Permit me, also, to guard you against infi- 
delity. As this is a day of abounding iniquity ; 
as intemperance, profane swearing, Sabbath- 
breaking, gambling, and other kindred vices, 
are, alas ! too common in our midst, we may 
expect infidelity, at least in some of its forms, 
to keep pace with these things, for, as one well 
remarks, " Infidelity is a disease of the heart, 



68 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



not of the head." Let the morals be corrupt, 
and the sentiments will soon become loose. 
Let the heart be infected with vice, and infi- 
delity will forthwith spring up, like green 
scum upon the surface of a foul and stagnant 
pool. Beware of infidelity ! It wars against 
reason and common sense, against God and the 
best interests of man. Beware of infidelity ! 
It teaches that man is not responsible to his 
Maker for his actions, however atrocious they 
may be, and that in the end, it will be as well 
with the gambler and the pirate as with the man 
of virtue and religion. Beware of infidelity ! It 
curses the body, and curses the soul ; it curses 
you in time, and it will curse you through all 
eternity. Beware of infidelity ! It will poison 
the stream of public morals, and public happi- 
ness : it will rob you of your dearest hopes 
and sweetest comforts : it will rob you of the 
favour of God ; will hang around your dying 
bed the curtains of gloom and despair. It will 
lay your body in an unblest grave, and your 
soul " in the urn of everlasting death !" I have 
heard the saying, "Cry havoc, and let slip 
the dogs of war but he who encourages infi- 
delity, in a more fearful sense cries " havoc !" 
and lets slip, not the dogs of war, but the 
spirits of Pandemonium, and the demons of the 
pit ! Young man, listen to me : I repeat once 
more what I have said before — your Christian 



SECOND SERIES. 



69 



mother is right — the Bible is true ! and if 
you die without the repentance which it en- 
joins, and the Saviour which it reveals, mark 
my word, in the great day of judgment you 
will wish you had* never been born ! 



SERMON III. 

NATURE, SINFULNESS, AND CONSEQUENCES OF UNBELIEF. 

He that helieveth not, shall be damned.— Mark xvi. 16. 

This is one of the most awful declarations 
found in all the sacred volume : and it as- 
sumes a character of peculiar interest and so- 
lemnity, when we recollect, 1. By whom this 
declaration was originally made; and 2. The 
circumstances in which it was made. 

By whom was this declaration originally 
made? It was not by an enemy, but by a 
Friend — the sinner's best Friend — even the 
loving tender-hearted Saviour himself. Yes, it 
is none other than the blessed Jesus, who died, 
for sinners, and before whose judgment-seat 
we must all one day appear, who said, "He 
that believeth not, shall be damned." And 
when did he utter this awful language? In 
the most interesting circumstances which can 
well be imagined. It was in his last interview 



70 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



with his disciples. He had died on the cross ; 
he had risen from the tomb, and he was now 
just about to ascend to heaven. His disciples 
are around him, and there is the cloud, like a 
chariot, hovering over him, and angels waiting 
to attend him to his home in the sky. In 
these peculiarly interesting circumstances, our 
great Redeemer gave his parting charge : — 
" Go, my disciples, into all the world, and 
preach the gospel to every creature. He that 
belie veth and is baptized, shall be saved" — 
here we have the overtures of mercy for those 
who accept of the way of salvation proposed 
in the gospel — "but he that believeth not, 
shall be damned." Here w r e have solemnly 
announced the certain doom of those who re- 
ject it. Remember, these are among the very 
last words which fell from the lips of our 
blessed Saviour, when on earth, and they may 
well be depended upon ; for who can suppose 
that He, whose love for our race was stronger 
than death, would use language unnecessarily 
harsh? or who can for a moment suppose that 
our Saviour would utter vain words, especially 
in circumstances of such peculiar interest and 
solemnity. No, my friends, the declaration in 
our text may not be lightly regarded : it pre- 
sents a truth of tremendous import, and must 
stand for ever — "He that believeth not, shall 
be damned." 



SECOND SERIES. 



71 



The nature, the sinfulness, and the conse- 
quences of unbelief, will now engage our atten- 
tion. 

And First. The nature of unbelief. And 
here we need not enlarge. Unbelief is the 
opposite of faith. Now, as faith is giving 
credence to the testimony of God in general, 
having special reference to the mediatorial 
character of Christ, as the world's last and 
only hope, unbelief is the rejection of that tes- 
timony. And this may be either speculative 
or practical — speculative, as when a man looks 
upon Christianity as a farce, and the Bible as 
a cunningly devised fable. Unbelievers of this 
class are certainly embraced in the anathema 
of the text, "he that believeth not, shall be 
damned. " But unbelief may also be practical, 
as when a person professes to believe that the 
Bible is the word of God, and yet is not influ- 
enced by the Bible; or, as when a man admits 
that Christ is a Saviour, and yet receives 
him not as such; admits that Christ is the 
only Saviour, and yet treats him as if he were 
no Saviour at all. In this case, the under- 
standing assents, but the will rebels; the 
head is right, bat the heart is wrong. There 
is no want of evidence, but a lack of disposi- 
tion. In both cases the unbelief is substan- 
tially the same. Christ is rejected; and as 
without him there is no Saviour, the condem- 



72 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



nation of the one, of course, must be as certain 
as the condemnation of the other. So, then, 
the anathema of the text is of great compass, 
and may have reference to some — alas ! I fear, 
to many at this very time. "He that hath 
ears to hear, let him hear." 

Second. The sinfulness of unbelief. It is 
manifest, from the whole tenor of the Bible, 
that whether we can fully understand the mat- 
ter or not, there is something in the sight of 
God exceedingly offensive and hateful in the 
sin of unbelief. No sin, it would appear, 
calls down heavier wrath than this. Why 
was it that a whole generation of Jews were 
cut off from the promised land? The Psalmist 
says, that with that generation God was not 
well pleased, and sware, in his wrath, that they 
should not enter into his rest ; and, lo ! their 
carcasses fell in the wilderness, and their 
bones were made to bleach in the desert, a 
fearful monument of God's wrath for some 
sin committed! And what sin? Their striv- 
ings, their rebellions, their idolatries? No. 
Why, then, was it that they were not permit- 
ted to enter the promised land ? The apostle 
tells us, in express terms: "They could not 
enter in, because of unbelief." And when he 
said this, he seized the opportunity to give 
needful warning to those to whom he was 
writing. " Take heed, brethren," says he, 



SECOND SERIES. 



73 



"lest there be in any of you an evil heart of 
unbelief:" and again, "let us labour to enter 
into that rest, lest any man fall after the same 
example of unbelief." Some eighteen hundred 
years ago, the Jews were cut off from their 
land, amid circumstances which indicated spe- 
cial divine wrath. Our Saviour predicted 
that there would be many signs and wonders 
and fearful sights connected with the destruc- 
tion of Jerusalem, such as should cause men's 
hearts to tremble and fail within them. And 
the account which Josephus gives is most 
remarkable and full of terror. He tells us that 
a meteor, having the appearance of a broad- 
sword, was seen suspended over Jerusalem, I 
think, for the space of three years; that 
voices were heard in the clouds, as of horses 
and chariots rushing to battle ; that the priests 
who ministered in the holy place, overheard 
voices in the holy of holies, (where, mark! none 
but the high-priest was permitted to enter, 
and he only once a year,) saying, "Let us go 
hence! let us go hence!" And one thing, 
which occasioned a greater panic than any 
thing else, was this : — A person came from the 
country, presenting a singular appearance, 
and uttering strange sounds. "A voice!" 
cried he, " a voice from the east, a voice from 
the west, a voice from the four winds! Wo 
to Jerusalem! wo to the temple!" By order 
7 



74 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of the magistrates, he was arrested; he was 
scourged. Josephus affirms that his very 
bones were laid bare ; but he ceased not utter- 
ing the same mysterious cry — " A voice from 
the east! a voice from the west! a voice from 
the four winds ! Wo to Jerusalem ! wo to the 
temple! wo to myself!" And as he uttered 
these last words — Wo to myself! — a stone 
from the besieging army struck him, and he 
fell dead ! Moreover, the historian tells us, 
that when Titus, the Roman commander, had 
gotten within the walls of the city, and had 
looked upon the scene of unprecedented dis- 
tress spread before his eyes, he could not 
refrain from tears; and, looking up to heaven, 
he called God to witness that he (Titus) had 
not brought these calamities upon the Jews; 
and added, that it was so evident that God 
was angry with them, that he was afraid 
not to punish them, lest God should punish 
him. And whereas, on former occasions, they 
were driven away from their land and sent 
into captivity, in some cases for seven, and 
twelve, and twenty, and even seventy years, 
now they have been cut off, for, lo! these 
eighteen hundred years. Now, the question 
is, why were they thus cut off? The answer 
is given by the apostle himself: "Because of 
unbelief they were broken off." Again, as on 
a former occasion, the apostle seizes the oppor- 



SECOND SERIES. 



75 



tunity to make an improvement of the matter: 
"Thou standest by faith," says he; " be not 
high-minded, but fear." There is a passage 
in our Saviour's conversation with Nicode- 
mus that is very remarkable, and much to the 
point: " He that believeth on him, (that is, on 
Christ,) is not condemned; but he that be- 
lieveth not, is condemned already." And why? 
Mark the reason given: "Because he hath not 
believed in the name of the only begotten Son 
of God." Just as if the sin of unbelief were 
the only sin which condemns the sinner. 
And in our Saviour's last consolatory address 
to his disciples, we find another passage 
equally remarkable, and, if possible, stronger, 
and yet more to the point: "And when he 
(the Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world 
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." 
Mark! of sin, because they believe not in 
me! Here it would appear that the grand 
design of the mission of the Spirit into our 
world was to produce a conviction of sin. 
And what sin? Of unbelief. — " Of sin, be- 
cause they believe not on me." 

Is this the only sin which men commit? 
or are other sins not heinous in the sight of 
God? This is not the idea intended here to 
be conveyed. There are many other sins 
which men commit, and the Bible stamps 
them as sins very odious and offensive in the 



76 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



sight of God, but "unbelief is the greatest of 
all : it is that which embraces all others, and, 
so to speak, swallows them up. Here is the 
shadow of a cloud passing over the earth. It 
is distinctly seen; but the shades of night- 
come, and that shadow is lost, being swallowed 
up in the deeper gloom of the midnight hour. 
Even so, lying, and fraud, and drunkenness, and 
Sabbath-breaking, and profane swearing, and 
all other sins which men commit, heinous as 
they are, yield to the more heinous and more 
soul-destroying sin of unbelief. This is em- 
phatically the sin, the crying sin, the damning 
sin ! Those of you who respect the Bible are 
ready to say, It really does appear, from the 
Scriptures that it is even so ; — but, you may be 
ready to add, " But, Sir, I must confess, after 
all, I cannot see wherein consists this exceed- 
ing sinfulness of unbelief. I do not know 
w^hat makes it so peculiarly odious and offen- 
sive in the sight of God." Now this is the 
very point before us — the sinfulness of unbelief. 
If I mistake not, it chiefly consists in this, that 
it strikes a blow at God the Father, Almighty, 
Maker of heaven and earth; would strip the 
ever blessed God of all of his perfections, and 
would lay his honour and his throne in the 
dust.* 

I. Unbelief strikes a blow at God the Father, 

* Vide Charnock on the Divine Attributes. 



SECOND SERIES. 



77 



Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, pouring 
contempt upon his wisdom,. The wisdom of 
God appears in the garniture of the heavens, 
in the structure of our bodies, in changing 
seasons, in the alternations of day and night, 
in ten thousand things ; but when the wisdom 
of God is spoken of, these things are not once 
alluded to. The plan of redemption — it is that 
which looms up. It is that which seems to fill 
the whole range of vision, human and divine. 
Before it, all other objects seem to vanish 
away, as twinkling stars before the rising sun. 
This is called " the wisdom of God;" "the 
wisdom of God," in a mystery," and "the 
manifold wisdom of God." Into this, it is 
said, the "angels of God desire to look." 
They are represented as stooping down from 
their lofty seats in glory, and endeavouring, 
with holy wonder and delight, to search out 
this chief display of the wisdom of God; and 
when Paul refers to it, he breaks out in this 
language: "O the depth of the riches, both 
of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! 
How unsearchable are his judgments, and his 
ways past finding out!" And well might 
he say, "O the depth!" for no line of hu- 
man or angelic intellect can fathom it. For, 
to save the sinner, and yet maintain the 
honours of the divine government, it is requis- 
ite, not to harmonize jarring elements in the 
7* 



78 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



world of nature, but, to harmonize conflicting 
attributes in the bosom of the God of nature. 
Mercy pleads for pardon — Justice demands 
punishment. " Spare the sinner !" cries Mer- 
cy. " Cut him down," says Justice, "why 
cumbereth he the ground?" " O forgive! for- 
give!" Mercy weepingly implores— stern Jus- 
tice frowns, and thunders out, " Satisfaction or 
death!" Now if Mercy prevails, Justice is 
humbled; if Justice triumphs, the sinner is lost 
for ever. But in the cross of Christ all the 
perfections of God are made to triumph, as if 
they were one attribute — triumph gloriously ! 
An infinite sacrifice satisfies Divine justice, and 
the infinitely rich fruits of that sacrifice satis- 
fies Divine mercy. This is the thing into 
which angels desire to look. This is the thing 
which causes Paul to exclaim, " O the depth !" 
It is this which shall wake up the sweetest 
and the loudest pseans in the world of glory. 
It is this which, through the mighty roll of 
everlasting ages, shall fill the great temple of 
God Almighty with sounding praise! Now 
this plan, by which God can be just, and yet 
justify the ungodly who believe in the Son of 
his love— this plan, which is presented to us 
in the Scriptures as the " chief display of the 
wisdom of God," all glorious and divine — un- 
belief rejects— treats it as though it were un- 
worthy of any regard, Its language is this : 



SECOND SERIES. 



79 



"Paul admires it ; angels desire to look into- it; 
and God himself glories in it, as his master- 
piece of wisdom — but it is all foolishness ! I 
see nothing in it to excite any admiration — it 
deserves no regard !" And thus unbelief pours 
contempt upon the wisdom of God ! And is 
not this a sin, a crying sin, a damning sin? 
" He that believeth not, shall be damned.'' 

II. Unbelief strikes another blow at God the 
Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, 
pouring contempt upon his love. God has 
given innumerable proofs of his kind regard 
for our race, but our blessed Saviour points 
out one, as greater than all others put together. 
" God," said he, " so loved the world that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in him might not perish, but have ever- 
lasting life." God might have made a brighter 
light than that which creates our day; he 
might have made loftier angels, and a greater 
universe than he has made; but (I speak it 
with reverence) I see not how an infinite God 
could have made a greater gift than the gift of 
his Son — his only begotten and well beloved 
Son ! Here, you perceive, is a draft, not upon 
the resources of nature, but upon the bosom of 
the God of nature. O what love w T as this, that 
God should so love our lost and ruined world 
as to give — not treasures of silver and gold — 
not worlds, nor angels — but his Son, his only 



80 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



begotten and well beloved Son, that whosoever 
believeth in him might not perish but have 
everlasting life ! What is the language of 
John in relation to this matter? " Herein is 
love," says he, "not that we loved God, but 
that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a pro- 
pitiation for our sins." Note the phrase, " here- 
in is love as if he had said, Are you looking 
out for some commanding proof of love ? Look 
at the cross of Christ ! Look at the plan of 
redemption ! Here it is ! This is love, in- 
deed ! " Love divine, all love excelling." And 
again, the same apostle says, in the language 
of perfect admiration : " Behold! what manner 
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us!" 
As if he had said, Ye angels, behold ! Ye 
winged messengers that compass creation, be- 
hold ! and do thou, O man, behold ! and say, 
was there ever love like this ! But this love, 
this wondrous, matchless love, unbelief slights ; 
looks upon it with cold indifference; turns 
away from it with contempt, as if it were not 
worthy of a single thought; as if it were not 
worthy of the slightest regard. And call you 
this no sin? What! to treat with contempt 
the chief display of the goodness of God ! to 
reject his gift, his dearest and most valued gift ! 
Is this nothing ? I knew once a little orphan 
boy, a motherless child ; an elder sister, whom 
he loved, was displeased with him. The poor 



SECOND SERIES. 



81 



little orphan boy was much distressed, and 
could not be happy without being restored to 
his sister's love. Gathering all the little 
money which he had been accumulating for a 
long time, amounting to about fifty cents, he 
laid it all out for a little matter which he 
thought would please his sister, and sent it to 
her as a kind of peace-offering, or token of his 
desire to be on good terms with her. This 
gift was rejected. It was sent back, and con- 
temptuously dashed upon the floor at his feet. 
It almost broke his heart. The little orphan 
boy had laid out all his little store in a present 
sent to propitiate his sister, whom he loved, 
and his present was rejected. I repeat it, it 
almost broke his heart. I was that little or- 
phan boy. I know what it is to have a present 
rejected ; to have my love despised. In some 
points, this case is in point. God loved the 
sinner, and sent his Son — gave his Son to die 
for him. Yes, Christ was the gift of God — so 
to speak. Christ was God's present to our 
race. But this gift, this present, is rejected. 
This expression of God's love is despised. Is 
not this a sin? Is it not a crying sin? Is it 
not a damning sin? " He that believeth not, 
shall be damned." 

III. Unbelief strikes another blow at God 
the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and 
earth, pouring contempt upon his sovereignty. 



82 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



As Creator and King, God has an unquestion- 
able right to legislate for the creatures which 
he has made. He has legislated for man. In 
the matter of salvation, God, in his wisdom and 
love, has devised and revealed a plan whereby 
he will bestow forgiveness and salvation upon 
those who accept of the Saviour whom he has 
provided. And he has positively declared 
that this is the way of salvation, and that there 
is no other. Now, unbelief leads the sinner 
to reject this way, and seek salvation in some 
other — by his own works of righteousness. It 
may be, by his prayers, his tears, his deeds of 
charity; it may be by a moral life, or by 
penances, or pilgrimages or the absolution of 
priests, or the intercession of saints. This is 
all disobedience. It is high-handed rebellion. 
It speaks this language: God may legislate 
for the angels, but he shall not legislate for 
me. He may fix the way of salvation for other 
men, but he shall not be allowed to fix it for 
me. I will not regard the will of God— I shall 
not submit to his authority. His sceptre shall 
not be extended over me. I will have nothing 
to do with the Saviour of his providing. In 
this matter, I will legislate for myself— I will 
appoint my own Saviour — I choose to be 
saved in my own way. And is not this strik- 
ing a blow at the standard of the King of 
heaven and earth? And is this nothing ? Is 



SECOND SERIES. 



83 



not this a sin, a crying sin, a damning sin? 
" He that believeth not, shall be damned !" 
O God of mercy, make the sinner to know 
his transgression and his sin ! 

IV. Unbelief strikes another blow at God 
the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and 
earth, pouring contempt upon his truth. John 
says, he that believeth the record of God con- 
cerning his Son, hath set to his seal that God 
is true ; but he that believeth not, hath made 
him a liar! What strong language this is, 
and in what an awful, frightful light, does it 
present the sin of unbelief! I have seen men 
excited ; I have heard them rising towards 
each other harsh language — abusive language 
— and yet no act of violence was done; but 
the moment one said to the other " You are a 
liar" — that moment the blow was given. This 
is common, all the world over. I do not say it 
is right, but I do say, it requires grace, much 
grace, not to give the blow. And why? In 
pronouncing a man a liar, you give him the 
greatest affront which can be given. You 
pronounce him vile, depraved, void of all 
moral principle, fit only to be scorned and 
despised. Now, sinner ! O thou who hast re- 
jected Heaven's Darling, remember the words 
of the apostle, and let conviction seize upon 
you! Yea, let fear come upon you, and trem- 
bling, which shall make all your bones to 



84 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

shake. By your unbelief you have dishon- 
oured God ! You have insulted your Maker ! 
You have made the Ancient of days, the all- 
glorious, and ever blessed King of the universe 
a liar! Be sure your sin will find you out 
You and God must meet. And if you have 
committed no other sin on earth, in rejecting 
Christ, remember, you have one sin resting 
upon your soul, which, if unrepented of, will 
press upon you as a mountain — will for ever 
sink you down. But this is not all. There is 
another aspect in which we may view the sin 
of unbelief, and one in which, if possible, it 
appears in yet darker colours, and more sinful 
still. 

V. Unbelief strikes a blow at God, the Son, 
pouring contempt upon his mediatorial charac- 
ter. Glorious and divine as God the Father 
is, there is a new loveliness and sweetness 
thrown around the second Person of the adora- 
ble Trinity, as God, man, mediator; possess- 
ing in himself both the divine and human 
nature, he presents all the glories of a God 
attempered with the milder beauties of a per- 
fect man. Besides, he comes to us as an angel 
of mercy, a legate from the skies. He comes 
to accomplish a work of love and reconcilia- 
tion; to put away our sins by the sacrifice 
of himself. This invests his character with a 
new charm. This should make him unspeak- 



SECOND SERIES. 



85 



ably dear to every heart. Every individual, 
so to speak, should go out to meet him with 
joy; every one should cordially receive him in 
the arms of a sweet appropriating faith. But 
unbelief treats him as if he had no beauty or 
excellence of character; as if he were no 
mediator at all. Faith says, This is the rose 
of Sharon; this is the one altogether lovely! 
Unbelief says, No; he is a root out of dry 
ground; he has no form or comeliness; no- 
thing for which we should desire him ! And 
thus unbelief makes light of the great Re- 
deemer, and pours contempt upon all the 
sweetness and loveliness of his mediatorial 
character. Martyrs of Jesus! what think ye 
of this? Angels of God ! is this no sin ? 

VI. Unbelief strikes another blow at God 
the Son, pouring contempt upon his mediatorial 
sufferings. A 'good man in distress presents 
a scene which affects the heart; and if this 
distress should be on account of another, espe- 
cially if it should be for our sake, how it would 
touch our hearts — how it would wake up the 
strongest and the tenderest feelings in our 
bosom! But more than a good man is here. 
It is God's eternal Son. And O ! see him in 
the garden! He is in distress; his soul is 
exceeding sorrowful, even unto death! He 
prays; and what says he? " O ! my Father, if it 
be possible, let this cup pass from me ; but not 
8 



86 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



as I will, but as thou wilt!" He prays again 
with equal anguish. " And again, being in an 
agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his 
sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood, 
falling down upon the ground !" And for 
whom is all this suffering and agony? Not 
for himself ; not for fallen angels ; but for 
sinners of Adam's race. "For thee, ray soul, 
for thee!" Is not this enough to melt the 
hardest heart? Is not this enough to subdue 
the most obdurate soul ? The believer is con- 
quered. Faith, with strong emotion, gazes 
"upon her Redeemer, amid the sorrowful scenes 
of the garden. She follows him to the cross ; 
sees him nailed to the accursed tree; she sees 
his precious blood gushing forth, streaming 
down, and smoking upon the mount ; she sees 
him insulted and reviled, even upon the cross ; 
she witnesses his dying agonies ; she hears his 
last prayer, " Father, forgive them ; they know 
not what they do!" Clasping the cross, crim- 
soned with the blood of her incarnate God, 
she exclaims : — Here is the last hope of a 
dying world ! Here is ray hope— my only 
hope ! 

u My Lord, my Life, my Sacrifice, 
My Jesus, and my All l" 

But unbelief weeps not, feels not, cares not ; 
looks on with cold indifference ; is touched 
neither by the sorrows of the garden, nor the 



SECOND SERIES. 



87 



agonies of the cross ; looks upon the whole as 
a picture, or a farce; and, at the very foot of 
the cross, can freely indulge in that sin which 
made the Saviour bleed and die. O! unbelief! 
unbelief! Thou makest light of that which 
might make angels weep ! Thou makest light 
of that which caused the sun to withhold its 
light; which rent the vail of the temple; which 
burst the rocks, and shook the earth, and 
heaved out the dead ! Thou hast slighted, 
thou hast rejected Him who died for thee! 
And is this no sin? One of Pennsylvania's 
favourite sons, some years ago, heard me 
preach Christ, and him crucified. I noticed 
that his eyes were fixed upon me, and his 
feelings were stirred within him. Upon the 
conclusion of the service, I called at his office. 
(He was a lawyer.) I found him in great dis- 
tress. I asked him what was the matter. " O 
sir!" replied he, with strong emotion, "I feel 
that I am one of the greatest sinners that ever 
breathed the breath of life!" "What is the 
sin which troubles you most?" " Sir," said he, 
" I have rejected the Saviour thirty years. I 
do not see how it is possible for me to be for- 
given !" And well may this remind us of the 
words of the Saviour: "When the Spirit is 
come, he will reprove the world of sin, because 
they believe not on me!" Ah! my brethren, 
the rejection of a dying Saviour ! — this is em* 



88 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



phatically the sin, the crying sin, the damn- 
ing sin ! " He that believeth not, shall be 
damned. " But, to crown the matter, once more, 
VII. Unbelief would rob the Saviour of his 
mediatorial reward! " For the joy that was 
set before him," says the apostle, " he endured 
the cross, despising the shame." What joy 
was this? The joy of leading many sons and 
daughters to glory. The joy of snatching 
millions, unnumbered millions, from hell, and 
landing them in heaven. The joy of seeing 
them made happy by his sufferings; happy 
beyond description, happy for ever and for 
ever more ! For this joy, which was set before 
him, which was promised in the counsels of 
eternity— for this joy, he endured the cross, 
despising the shame. This is a beautiful and 
tender thought. It would seem that this idea 
was immediately and constantly before the 
mind of the Saviour, amid all the sufferings of 
the cross, and the ignominy thereof- — that he 
was not suffering in vain; that it was for the 
accomplishment of a great and good object; 
for the salvation of a ruined world. Now, 
unbelief says, This object shall not be at- 
tained. This joy he shall not have. He shall 
return to the skies as one defeated, without one 
trophy — without one of Adam's race to sing 
his praise. God, the Father, had said, " There- 
fore will I divide him a portion with the great, 



SECOND SERIES. 



89 



and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 
because he hath poured out his soul unto 
death; and he was numbered with the trans- 
gressors, and he bare the sin of many, and 
made intercession for the transgressors." But 
if unbelief prevails, this reward will not be 
his. He will not " divide a portion with the 
great," nor "the spoil with the strong." In 
vain will he have borne the sin of many, 
in vain will he have made intercession for 
the transgressors. All that he has done and 
suffered for the redemption of man will be in 
vain. Having undertaken to carry out the 
scheme of redemption, he will have failed. 
Having entered upon the conflict with the 
powers of darkness, they will have triumphed. 
The Son of God will have been defeated — 
the great plan of redemption will have proved 
a failure. The tide of salvation must roll 
back ; the whole human family must go down 
to the pit, and the curtain of despair must 
hang around them for ever ! Yes, my bre- 
thren, this is the direct tendency of unbe- 
lief ; the natural workings of this great evil — 
this damning sin. No wonder, then, that 
these were amongst the last words which fell 
from the lips of the ascending Saviour — " He 
that believeth not, shall be damned." 

Having pointed out, as clearly as we could, 
8* 



90 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



the nature and the sinfulness of unbelief, we 
are now to show ? 

VIII. The consequence of unbelief. On such 
a subject we would not speak flippantly. We 
would speak with great solemnity ; for it is 
one of tremendous import. We can do no 
better than earnestly to request and entreat 
you to muse upon the language of our text ; 
the words, the last parting words of our blessed 
and ascending Saviour — " He that believeth 
not, shall be damned." And what is it to be 
damned ? It is to have all the sins you have 
ever committed fastened upon your poor soul 
for ever. It is to have no part in the first 
resurrection, but to be imprisoned in the tomb 
until the second blast of the trump, loud- 
er than a thousand thunders and more awful 
than the hoarse crash of falling worlds, shall 
call you up to the resurrection of the lost! 
What is it to be damned ? It is to be placed 
upon the left hand of the Judge in the 
great day of accounts. It is to be grouped 
with murderers of fathers and murderers of 
mothers, with thieves, with robbers, with 
pirates, with liars, with drunkards, with all the 
mean and all the vile, and all the abominable 
gathered from earth and hell, and with them 
to hear the dreadful sound, " Depart!" What 
is it to be damned? It is to go away into 
everlasting punishment, into the blackness of 



SECOND SERIES. 



91 



darkness, into the pit that has no bottom, and 
into the fire which is never to be quenched ! 
What is it to be damned ? It is to be cut off 
from God and all his angels, from the ran- 
somed and all our pious friends — from heaven 
and all its joys. It is to be deprived of all 
peace and all comfort; of all hope and all 
expectation. It is to be given over to all the 
thraldom of sin, to all the thrillings of remorse, 
to all the agonies of despair. It is to be ruined 
and undone! Lost! lost! lost for ever! O! 
who can bear the thought of being damned 
for ever ? Shall any lift up their eyes in 
torment? Shall any have, in the world of 
woe, to send up the sad and mournful la- 
mentation — u The harvest is past, the sum- 
mer is ended, and I am not saved?" Hea- 
ven forbid ! But are there not here some 
impenitent, unbelieving sinners? They are 
the very ones who are exposed to the anathema 
of the text. O ! careless mariner upon the sea 
of life, breakers are ahead ! O ! thoughtless 
traveller to great eternity, a fearful pit is be- 
fore you ! Danger is nigh, even at the door ; 
and do you ask, What is to be done? Would 
to God that this cry was coming up from all 
parts of this congregation ! It is the pentecostal 
cry. It is the cry of the three thousand w r ho 
were convicted and converted on the day of 



92 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Pentecost. And was not* this, too, the anxious 
inquiry of the Philippian jailor : " O sirs, 
what must I do to be saved?" It has been put, 
by many in every age, and has resulted in 
peace and joy. Is any disposed to propound 
this question? God be gracious to all such! 
There is hope for all! — aye, and even in the 
very verse whence our text is taken ; for, if we 
find it there written, " He that believeth not, 
shall be damned," we find it there also written, 
" He that believeth and is baptized, shall be 
saved." Thank God, you need not perish. • 
O listen to the sweet words of the Saviour 
again : "He that believeth and is baptized, shall 
be saved." How cheering! how charming is 
the voice ; how sweet the tidings are ! 

There is another thing which is most encour- 
aging to the sin-sick soul, and that also is in 
close connection with our text. In our Sa- 
viour's last charge, which contains our text, he 
gave commandment to his disciples to go into 
all the world and preach the gospel to every 
creature, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke xxiv. 
47. Only think — Jerusalem ! The very place 
where his murderers dwelt; the very place 
where they crowned him with thorns ; where 
they smote him upon the cheek, where they spit 
in his face, where they nailed him to the cross, 
and where they gave him vinegar and gall to 



SECOND SERIE S. 



93 



drink in the hour of his deepest agony ! and 
where, after his death, as he foresaw, the unfeel- 
ing soldier thrust his spear into his side! — As if 
he had said, " Go, my disciples, and preach that 
gospel which breathes good will toward all 
mankind, which opens the gates of paradise to 
a dying world — preach that gospel first to my 
enemies ! Go, tell those priests and pharisees, 
those scribes and elders, who longed for the 
time to come when they should feast their 
eyes with my streaming veins, and regale their 
ears with my dying groans — go, tell them 
that they never so thirsted for my blood as I 
have desired their salvation, Go, find out 
those soldiers who platted a crown of thorns 
and put it upon my head — tell them that I, by 
my streaming blood, have bought for them 
crowns of glory, and no rugged thorns shall 
be found in those crowns of glory ! Go, my 
disciples, and tell that man who spit in my face 
how freely Jesus can forgive ! Go, my disci- 
ples, and find out those who nailed me to the 
cross, and tell them that I am now willing to 
put under them my pierced hands, and raise 
them to thrones in the highest heavens, and 
no nails shall be driven into their hands! Go, 
my disciples, and search for that man who 
gave me vinegar and gall to drink in the hour 
of my deepest agony, and tell him that I freely 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



offer him the cup of salvation, and no drop of 
vinegar or gall shall be found in that cup ! 
Go, my disciples, find out that soldier who 
thrust his spear into my side, and tell him 
that there is a nearer way to my heart. — Bless- 
ed Jesus ! who can resist thy matchless grace, 
thy dying love? It is enough! We see that 
thou art able and willing to save the chief of 
sinners, even the vilest of the vile ! O ! that 
every sinner would respond, "It is enough! 
blessed Redeemer! glorious Saviour! I will 
reject thee no more ! ' I yield, I yield; I can 
hold out no longer — By dying love compelled, 
I own thee conqueror !' I repent in dust and 
ashes ! I take thee now on thy terms, on any 
terms. 4 Here, Lord, I give myself away, 
'tis all that I can do !' " 

Welcome, welcome, dear Redeemer, 

Welcome to this heart of mine; 
Lord, I make a full surrender, 

Every power and thought be thine. 
Thine entirely, 

Through eternal ages thine ! 



SECOND SERIES. 



95 



SERMON IV. 

JUSTIFICATION. 

Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord 
Jesus Christ : by whom also we have access, by faith, into this grace wherein 
we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. — Rom. v. 1, 2. 

No truth is more certain than this, that we are 
sinners; yea, that all have sinned, and have 
come short of the glory of God, for the apostle 
John says, " If we say that we have no sin, we 
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 
But another truth, equally certain, is this: that 
the great God with whom we have to do, is 
pure and holy — cannot look upon sin with 
allowance, and has positively declared that he 
will, by no means, clear the guilty. These 
things being so, a question here presents itself, 
Who can be just with God? This is a ques- 
tion of immense importance to our race, and 
one which, without divine illumination, I veri- 
ly believe neither man nor angel can solve. 
This very subject the apostle handles in the 
preceding context. After affirming that God 
hath concluded all under sin, that every mouth 
might be stopped, and all the world become 
guilty before God, and that, consequently, by 
the deeds of the law no flesh could be justified 
in his sight — after showing that man, by rea- 
son of sin, was in himself absolutely ruined 



96 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



and undone, he proceeds to speak of the plan 
of justification proposed in the gospel, and 
winds up with these emphatic words: "There- 
fore we conclude, that a man is justified by 
faith without the deeds of the law." Having 
met an objection or two, which he saw would 
be urged against the doctrine, he then, in beau- 
tiful language, lays before us some of the rich 
blessings which accompany or flow from a 
state of justification with God, we purpose now 
to present, 

I. The great doctrine of Justification ; and 

II. Some of the blessings connected with it. 
I. The great doctrine of Justification. — We 

hesitate not to pronounce it a great doctrine. 
In the whole range of theology there is none of 
more vital importance than this, for it is 
nothing less than the mode of the sinner's ac- 
ceptance with God, and a mistake here may 
be fatal. It becomes us then, diligently to 
attend to this matter, particularly as error on 
the subject is abroad, and these are backed by 
some of the strongest feelings of human nature. 
It is no uncommon thing to hear a remark of 
this kind : I know that I am a sinner — I know 
that I have done some evil deeds, but I have 
also done some things, many things that are 
good, and God is merciful. — The idea is this: 
the sinner purposes to balance his good and 
evil deeds, and hopes that the good will pre- 



SECOND SERIES. 



97 



ponderate, and upon this he bases his hopes of 
heaven: or, if he has any misgivings on the 
subject, and fears that his good deeds may not 
outweigh his evil, he trusts that the breath of 
mercy will turn the scale in his favour, adding 
as much of the righteousness of Christ as may 
be sufficient to make up what is wanting in 
his own. Believe me, this is not Heaven's 
plan. No such idea falls in with the great 
doctrine of grace taught in the sacred volume ; 
and no such patch-robe righteousness will be 
seen within all the precincts of the heavenly 
world. Even in Protestant lands, where the 
Bible is more commonly read, error abounds. 
The natural pride of man leads him astray. 
That self-righteous spirit, so deeply seated in 
the human bosom, causes many to embrace 
notions on the subject which are not scriptural, 
which are not true. And with regard to papal 
lands, the whole system taught in relation to 
auricular confession, penance, the merits of 
saints, purgatory, and the like, is directly cal- 
culated to mislead souls, and cause them to em- 
brace fatal error. Indeed, this error is brought 
to a point. It is made to assume a palpable and 
authoritative form, as may be seen in the de- 
crees of the Council of Trent, which, of course, 
are binding upon the whole Roman Catholic 
world. The decree on the article of Justifica- 
tion is in substance this : Whoever shall affirm 
9 



98 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



that a man is justified by faith alone, let him 
be accursed. Martin Luther, being still alive, 
and remembering the words of the apostle Paul, 
" therefore we conclude that a man is justified 
by faith, without the deeds of the law" — and 
also this language, "not of works, lest any 
man should boast" — Martin Luther, I say, 
filled with holy indignation, grasped his pen, 
and besides other language, wrote these words 
in a very solemn protest : " I, Martin Luther, 
an unworthy preacher of the gospel of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, thus profess and thus be- 
lieve that this article, that faith alone, without 
works, can justify before God, shall never be 
overthrown, neither by the Emperor, nor by 
the Turk, nor by the Tartar, nor by the Pope, 
with all his cardinals, bishops, sacrificers, 
monks, nuns, kings, princes, powers of the 
world, nor yet by all devils in hell. — This is 
the doctrine I teach. In this I will abide. 
Amen." And to this I trust all are ready 
to respond Amen, for believe me, in the sight 
of a holy God all our righteousnesses are as 
filthy rags, and none but Jesus can do helpless 
sinners good. The poet has well said, 

"The best obedience of my hands 

Dare not appear before thy throne. 
But Faith can answer thy demands, 
By pleading what my Lord hath done." 

But let us proceed to the matter in hand. 



SECOND SERIES. 



99 



According to the Scriptures the term Justifi- 
cation has a forensic character, and simply 
means the declaring or pronouncing a person 
righteous according to law; that is, acquitted, 
not exposed to the penalty. "If," says Moses, 
"there be a controversy between men, and 
they come into judgment, that the judges may 
judge them, then they shall justify the right- 
eous, and condemn the wicked." And now, 
as to condemn a person in a court of law on 
earth, is not to make that person guilty, but 
simply to pronounce him so in the eyes of the 
law, even so, in the reverse case, to justify a 
man is not to make him just, but simply to 
pronounce him so according to law — not ex- 
posed to the penalty. 

Justification is either legal or evangelical. 
If a man could be found on earth who had 
never sinned, he might be justified in a way 
strictly legal; for, no law having been violated, 
no penalty has been incurred ; but as accord- 
ing to the Scriptures, all have sinned, so, ac- 
cording to the Scriptures, by the deeds of the 
law no flesh can be justified in the sight of 
God. In these circumstances, if there can be 
no expedient devised for satisfying the claims 
of the law and justice of God, the sinner's case 
is hopeless, his doom is sealed, and he is lost 
for ever! But now comes the Bible plan of 
justification, which stamps this volume with 



100 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



infinite value, and gives it pre-eminence over 
every other — the Bible plan of justification, 
which is as a beam of light in a dark day, or 
the sight of a habitation to one bewildered and 
lost. And what is this plan? Justification by 
the righteousness of another — -even the Lord 
Jesus Christ, who was wounded for our trans- 
gressions, and bruised for our iniquities — who, 
his own self, bare our sins in his own body 
upon the tree. How numerous are the passages 
of Scripture which teach the great doctrine of 
the atonement, or the substitutionary sacrifice 
of Christ. What is the language of Paul? 
" He was made sin for us who knew no sin, 
that we might be made the righteousness of 
God in him." And what is the language of 
the apostle John? " Herein is love, not that 
we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent 
his Son to be a propitiation for our sins." And 
what says the Saviour himself? "I am the 
good shepherd ; the good shepherd giveth his 
life for his sheep." And again : " Therefore 
doth my Father love me, because I lay down 
my life for the sheep." And if you note the 
song of the redeemed in heaven, you will find 
that they all, unitedly and with loud voices, 
ascribe their salvation to him who loved them 
and washed them from their sins in his own 
blood. This is the name by which he is known 
to every true member of the Church on earth 



SECOND SERIES. 



101 



and in heaven, " The Lord our Righteousness" 
Yes, it is in and through Christ alone that we 
can find acceptance with God. We can make 
no satisfaction to the violated law and justice 
of God. Christ is our only hope — without him 
we perish, but united to him we are safe — 
clothed upon with the robe of his righteousness 

" God will pronounce the sinner just, 
And take the saint to heaven." 

But how are we to get this justifying right- 
eousness ? How are we, so to speak, to make 
it our own? — for all legal purposes our own? 
There is no difficulty. The Bible is very clear 
upon this subject. Notice the language of our 
text : " Therefore, being justified by faith, we 
have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ." This falls in precisely with what is 
said in another place : " Christ is the end of 
the law for righteousness to every one that be- 
lieveth." And again: "To him that worketh 
not, but believeth on him that justifieth the 
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." 
The main idea is this : Faith appropriates the 
righteousness of Christ; it is the hand which 
lays hold of it, and puts it down to our ac- 
count. In other words, the Spirit working 
faith in us, links us to Christ, in our effectual 
calling ; so that, in the eyes of the law, we are 
one with him. If he be accounted righteous, 
9* 



102 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



we shall be accounted righteous, too; and if 
he be accepted, we, for his sake, shall be ac- 
cepted also; for, according to the Scriptures, 
the union between Christ and believers is 
represented by similitudes peculiarly striking 
and strong. Is he the vine? Believers are 
the branches. Is he the head ? Believers are 
the members. Is he the bridegroom ? Believ- 
ers are the bride : and the apostle, in a certain 
place, uses language still stronger, when he 
says, We are members of his body, and of 
his flesh, and of his bones. How intimate 
is this union! how indissoluble! Hence the 
triumphant language of the apostle : " Who 
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's 
elect? It is God that justifieth : who is he that 
condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, 
that is risen again, who also maketh interces- 
sion for us. Who shall separate us from the 
love of Christ? — shall tribulation, or distress, 
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, 
or sword? Nay, in all these things we are 
more than conquerors, through him that hath 
loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither 
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to 
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other 
creature, shall be able to separate us from the 
love of God which is Christ Jesus our Lord." 
This naturally leads us to speak of the 



\ 

SECOND SERIES. 



103 



blessings consequent upon a state of justifica- 
tion with God. But that we may be better 
prepared to solace ourselves with these things, 
it will be proper to notice, as the apostle did, 
some objections w 7 hich have been made to the 
doctrine of salvation by faith, without works. 

It has been objected — 1. That it mili- 
tates against the doctrine taught by James. 
And w T e confess, at first view, the objection 
appears to have much force ; but w r hen exam- 
ined, w r e find it has no force at all. What is 
the language of Paul? " Therefore, we con- 
clude that a man is justified by faith, without 
the deeds of the law." And w 7 hat says James: 
" Ye see then, brethren, how that a man is 
justified by works, and not by faith only." I 
admit that there is a discrepancy in the 
language, a downright contradiction, if you 
please, and yet the two apostles are harmonious 
in sentiment. They must be, for they were 
inspired by one and the same Spirit, and there 
is no difficulty in reconciling their language. 
It is no uncommon thing for different persons 
to use different and very opposite language, 
and yet mean the very same thing. For 
example: A. and B. are speaking about you. 
A. says you are a mortal man, and must soon 
die. B. says you are immortal, and can never 
die, but must live for ever. Do these individ- 
uals differ in sentiment in relation to you? 



104 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Not at all. But in speaking about you, they 
have not reference to the same thing. When 
A. said, you are a mortal man, and must soon 
die, he had reference to your body. When B. 
said, you are immortal, and must live for ever, 
he had reference to your soul. Now, although 
the language is contradictory, yet really there 
is no diversity of sentiment. They believe 
the very same thing. So in the case before 
us. The language of the two apostles is con- 
tradictory; but mark, they are not speaking 
about the same thing. Examine the case, and 
you will find it is even so. Paul is speaking 
about justification before God, James about 
justification before man. In Paul's epistle to 
the Romans, 3d chapter, 19th and 20th verses, 
we find these words: "Now we know that 
what things soever the law saith, it saith to 
them that are under the law: that every mouth 
may be stopped, and all the world be found 
guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of 
the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his 
sight." Paul, you perceive, speaks of justifica- 
tion in the sight of God. But by reference to 
James ii. 15, 16, and 17, you will find that this 
apostle is speaking of a different matter alto- 
gether. "If a brother or a sister be naked and 
destitute of daily food, and one of you say, 
Depart in peace, be ye warmed, and be ye 
filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those 



SECOND SERIES. 



105 



things which are needful to the body; what 
doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not 
works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may 
say, Thou hast faith, and I have works : show 
me thy faith without thy works, and I will 
show thee my faith by my works/' Paul 
speaks of justification in the sight of God; 
James of justification in the sight of man. 
Paul tells us how a person may become a 
Christian by faith ; James tells us how a per- 
son may prove himself to be a Christian by 
works. There is no discrepancy. The objec- 
tion is annihilated. But it is objected, 2. That 
this doctrine of justification by faith alone, 
without the deeds of the law, is a dangerous 
doctrine. It makes good works of no account. 
It nullifies the law, sets it aside as a dead let- 
ter, and makes it void. It is remarkable that 
the apostle adverts to this very objection, and 
shows that it is entirely groundless. "Do we, 
then, make void the law, through faith ? God 
forbid! We establish the law." And what 
makes this more remarkable, is this: — This 
method of anticipating objections, and putting 
them down, is very common in the Scriptures. 
Thus in regard to the doctrine of regeneration, 
when our Saviour said, " Verily, verily, I say 
unto thee, except a man be born again, he can- 
not see the kingdom of God," the objection 
urged by many is represented as having been 



106 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



made by Nicodemus — " How can these things 
be?" and put down thus: "Marvel not that I 
said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The 
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hear- 
est the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence 
it cometh, nor whither it goeth ; so is every- 
one that is born of the Spirit." Take another 
case. Some persons deny the doctrine of the 
supreme divinity of Christ. On what ground? 
Mystery. Now what says Paul? "Without 
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. 
God was manifest in the flesh." The apostle 
admits the mystery, but insists upon it that 
the doctrine is true, notwithstanding, without 
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. 
God was manifest in the flesh. Again, some 
persons object to the doctrine of election. 
The apostle was aware that the doctrine would 
not be liked by some; and therefore, after pre- 
senting the doctrine very strongly in these 
words, "Therefore hath he mercy on whom 
he will have jnercy, and whom he will he har- 
deneth," he himself immediately starts the ob- 
jection : " Thou wilt then say unto me, Where- 
fore doth he yet find fault ? for who hath re- 
sisted his will?" — meets it in this way: "Nay, 
but, O man, who art thou that repliest against 
God? Shall the thing formed say to him that 
formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the 



SECOND SERIES. 



107 



same lump to make one vessel to honour, and 
another to dishonour?" So also with regard to 
the doctrine of the final perseverance of saints. 
Do any object that the doctrine cannot be 
true, because they have known some to die in 
sin who were once converted? See how John 
meets that objection: "They went out from 
us, because they were not of us; but they 
went out, that it might be made manifest that 
they were not all of us." This being the 
usual way of meeting objections, it is used in 
the case before us, " Do we, then, make void 
the law through faith ? God forbid ! Yea, we 
establish the law." 

I might, if it were necessary, prove what the 
apostle affirms. Just take this view of the mat- 
ter : The sinner is awakened ; he finds that he 
has broken God's righteous law; his sins come 
rolling over his soul. They are a burden too 
heavy for him to bear. He at first seeks relief in 
his own way ; he goes about from duty to duty, 
from ordinance to ordinance, from resolution to 
resolution ; thus endeavouring to establish his 
own righteousness, but all in vain. He finds 
no peace ; the burden is upon him still. Now 
he begins to think his case is a peculiar one ; 
fears that his day of grace is over, and there is 
no hope for him. When just ready to despair, 
Christ is presented as a needful, suitable, all- 
sufficient Saviour. The sinner is enabled, by 



108 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



faith, to receive him cordially as he is offered 
in the gospel. And now his burden is gone ; 
and now, Christ being formed in his heart, the 
hope of glory, love to the Redeemer becomes 
the ruling passion of his soul, and 

"'Tis love which makes our willing feet 
In swift obedience move." 

Aye, there is nothing like love to rouse the 
soul, and stir it up to all holy and cheerful 
obedience. Hence the language of the apostle, 
"The love of Christ constraineth us;" and the 
language of a certain martyr, " I cannot argue 
for my Saviour, but I can die for him." "Do 
we then make void the law through faith? 
God forbid! Yea, we establish the law." 

The great and precious doctrine of justifica- 
tion having been thus explained and vindi- 
cated, we proceed to lay before you, 

II. Some of the blessings which accompany 
or flow from a state of justification with God. 
1. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with 
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." O what 
a blessing this is! Eliphaz certainly thought 
it of great value ; hence his language to Job, 
"Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at 
peace with him ; thereby good shall come unto 
thee." Before the sinner embraces the Sa- 
viour in the arms of an appropriating faith, 
there is a controversy between him and his 



SECOND SERIES. 109 

Maker. He is an enemy to God by wicked 
works — yea, a child of w r rath and heir of hell. 
All the feelings of his unrenewed nature are 
arrayed against God, and all the perfections of 
God are arrayed against him. But now, 
united to Christ by faith, there is a change, 
both in the sinner's state and condition. The 
enmity of his heart is slain; the rebellion of 
his will is subdued. Vanquished by grace di- 
vine, he who once rebelled against his Maker 
now rebels no more, and he who was once the 
sinner's adversary, is now his adversary no 
longer. Peace is made. A work of recon- 
ciliation is accomplished ; and, so to speak, a 
covenant of amity is ratified on earth and in 
heaven. Every thing is new and pleasant 
now. The sinner's state is changed; his cha- 
racter is changed ; his views, his feelings, his 
prospects, all are changed. He enters, as it 
were, into a new w r orld, and all is peace now. 
The stormy cloud is gone, and the rainbow of 
promise spans the heavens. No lurid light- 
nings flash, no pealing thunders roar. Sinai's 
terrors are all over and gone. No voice of 
alarm now 7 ; no sentence of condemnation; no 
fear of wrath any more ! This is a great mat- 
ter. Only think — peace with God, the great 
God, the glorious God, against whom we have 
sinned, and before whose judgment-bar we 
must one day appear ! What is like it — to be 
10 



110 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



compared with it? I have seen peace made 
amongst men. I have seen those who long 
were at variance reconciled. I have seen them 
giving to each other the right hand of fellow- 
ship, in token of cordial reconciliation and 
mutual love. It was a lovely sight. It was 
worthy of an angel's visit from the skies. 
When, upon the close of the Revolutionary 
struggle, the intelligence was received that pre- 
liminaries of peace were signed in Paris, what 
a wave of delight passed over the whole land. 
The doorkeeper of Congress Hall, we are told, 
swooned with joy. What bonfires, what illu- 
minations, and what rejoicings, every where ! 
every eye sparkled ; every tongue was loosed ; 
every face was dressed in smiles, and every 
heart thrilled with rapture ! O, it was a blessed 
scene! It was a glorious affair! But peace 
with God ! how infinitely more delightful, more 
joyous, must this be ! Peace with him who 
holds our lives in his hand, our souls, our all ; 
who can raise us to heaven, or sink us down to 
hell; who can make us unspeakably happy, or 
miserable to all eternity. Peace with God ! 
what joy on earth and in heaven ! The tidings 
are carried to the world above; heaven rings 
jubilee; saints and angels tune their harps 
anew, and pseans loud and sweet are heard 
throughout all the realms of glory ! And well 
may it be so, for an immortal soul is snatched 



SECOND SERIES. 



Ill 



from ruin; the fires of the pit are quenched; 
the great God of heaven and earth becomes the 
sinner's Friend ! — yea, smiles with ineffable 
sweetness upon him, and for him prepares a 
sparkling crown, a throne of glory, and joys 
which shall never end ! And, to make this 
glorious peace better still, it is settled upon a 
sure foundation — it is through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. It is purchased by his death, it is in- 
spired by his Spirit, and guarantied by the 
blood of his cross. If this peace were depend- 
ent upon any thing in us, it would be most 
precarious; but no, thank God, we have this 
peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is 
ever worthy, the same yesterday, to-day, and 
for ever ! O ! how will the possession of this 
peace sweeten the bitterest cup, and brighten 
the darkest scene! How it will soften the 
dying hour, and cause the Christian to exult 
and triumph amid the solemnities of the last 
closing scene! But this is not all. 2. Being 
justified by faith, we have not only peace with 
God, but we also have access by faith into this 
grace wherein we stand. We are not only 
pardoned, we are accepted. We are permitted 
to come into the presence chamber of our God, 
with all the feelings of a child, and all the 
assurance of Divine love. 

" Our faith shall Abba, Father, cry, 
And thou the kindred own I" 



112 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



A rebel may be pardoned by his prince, and 
yet not permitted to come into his presence. 
Absalom's crime in slaying his brother Am- 
nion was forgiven by David, his father, but he 
must not see his face. " Let him not see my 
face," said David. But here is the blessedness 
of a state of justification with God ; it not only 
brings us into a state of peace with God, but 
nearness to him — yes, permits us by faith to 
draw near unto God, with all holy reverence 
and assurance, as children to a father, able and 
ready to help us in every time of need. O 
blessed state! O glorious privilege! How 
precious to the patriarch Jacob when, fearing 
the wrath of Esau, he turned aside and prayed 
this prayer : " O God of my father Abraham, 
and God of my father Isaac, deliver me, I pray 
thee, from the hand of my brother, from the 
hand of Esau, for I fear him, Lord, lest he 
come and smite me, and the mother, and the 
children." How precious to king Hezekiah, 
when sick, and admonished by the prophet to 
prepare for death, he turned his face to the 
wall, and prayed to the Lord, and wept sore, 
and was heard in that which he feared. And 
how precious is this privilege to the people of 
God in every age — what time afflictions come, 
and the waves of sorrow begin to roll! Yes, 
what though the sunshine of prosperity be 
clouded, and the dark night of affliction envi- 



SECOND SERIES. 



113 



ron us on every side ; what though, the dew of 
death be upon our cold brow, and the shades 
of death be upon our faded eye; what though 
we be in the very midst of the dark valley, and 
the waves be rolling at our feet — if God, as our 
covenant God and Father, be with us, we have 
a sweet solace — we are safe — we are happy ! 
for our days of mourning are ended, and hea- 
ven is at hand. 

But this leads me to speak of a third bene- 
fit connected with a state of justification with 
God. Not only have we peace with God, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ — not only 
have we also nearness of access by faith into 
this grace wherein we stand, we are permitted 
to rejoice in hope of the glory of God. This 
was what Moses so much desired. And Moses 
said unto God, " I beseech thee, show me thy 
glory." And the Lord said unto Moses, "I 
will make all my goodness to pass before thee, 
and I will proclaim the name of the Lord ; and 
it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth 
by, I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and 
will cover thee with my hand, for there shall 
no man see me and live." But in heaven 
there shall be no occasion for the cleft of a 
rock, nor for the covering, for there we shall see 
God face to face — we shall see the king in his 
beauty — shall see him amid all the splendours 
of that eternal world of glory ! O, how rap- 
10* 



114 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



turous will this vision be, and how transform- 
ing ! for there, we all, as with open face, behold- 
ing as in a glass the glory of the Lord, shall 
be changed into the same image from glory to 
glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. Brethren ! 
Bright prospects are before the believer; great 
things are in reserve for him. A crown of 
glory, a throne of glory, a weight of glory, 
an eternal weight of glory, an exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory! Yes, child of God, 
hear it, and let your heart leap for joy ! 
When you reach your eternal home, you will 
have glory above you, and glory beneath you, 
and glory around you! You will swim in 
glory as in the sun-light of heaven ! All these 
things are in reserve for you, and you may 
rejoice in the sure hope of them. Yes, you 
need not wait until the heavens are rolled to- 
gether as a scroll. You need not wait until 
the voice of the archangel shall announce that 
your coronation day is come. No, nor wait 
even until this mortality shall have put on 
immortality; you are now permitted to anti- 
cipate things to come; you are even now per- 
mitted to rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 
O! who would not be a Christian? Sinner, 
would you ? Then come to Christ. He calls, 
he bids you come. O, come now ! God help 
3/011 to come ! Amen! 



SECOND SERIES. 115 



SERMON V . 

NAAMAN. 

Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of 
Israel ? May I not wash in them and be clean ? So he turned and went away 
in a rage.— 2 Kings v. 12. 

The account given of Naaman in this chapter 
is truly interesting and instructive. It fur- 
nishes an exact delineation of the human cha- 
racter, and is a complete developement of the 
pride and carnality of the natural, or unre- 
newed man. Naaman was a great man, in 
the popular sense of that term. He had been 
raised to a high military station, and had justi- 
fied the confidence reposed in him. Leading 
forth the hosts of the king of Syria, he march- 
ed against the enemies of his country. He 
was victorious, and returned to Syria crowned 
with, laurels, and greeted wdth the acclamations 
of his grateful countrymen. The king him- 
self honoured him; and he was acknowledged 
by all, as the political saviour of his country : 
because, that " by him the Lord had given de- 
liverance to Syria." Crowned with laurels, 
and enriched with spoils, he stood upon a 
proud eminence; the boast of his country, the 
admiration of all ! Yet, there was one thing 
against him ; one thing to humble the pride of 
his heart — he was a leper. This leprosy was 



116 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

a loathsome disease. It was a certain break- 
ing out upon the body, and was of such a 
nature as to mar the beauty of the person, and 
to make him an object of loathing to those 
around; insomuch, that by a law of Moses, 
the leper was required to be separated from 
the congregation, as unclean, unfit to mingle 
with society: and we find that this law was 
rigidly enforced, in every instance of leprosy. 
The highest characters in the nation were not 
exempted from its operation. Hence, you may 
recollect that w T hen king Uzziah was smitten 
with leprosy in the house of the Lord, he was 
not only put out of the house of the Lord, but 
was driven from his palace ; made to inhabit a 
separate house; and when he died, he was not 
buried in the royal sepulchre, but in a certain 
field belonging to the kings — because he was a 
leper ! This being the case, we may well sup- 
pose that few wished to be Naaman, with all 
his wealth, his splendour, and renown. In- 
deed, the Syrian conqueror would, no doubt, 
himself most willingly have exchanged a palace 
for a cottage, could he only in this way have 
been delivered from the leprosy which cleaved 
to him. Whilst you see Naaman seated under 
a gilded canopy, amid all the insignia of wealth 
and honour, perhaps no other feelings are 
awakened in your bosom than those of loath- 
ing and disgust. You would not be a Naaman, 



SECOND SERIES . 



117 



with all his pomp, with all his riches, and with 
all his renown — and why? Because he is a 
leper ! But now, whilst you turn away from 
a leprous Naaman — whilst your very heart 
sickens at the thought of his impurities — O tell 
me, may there not be some here, covered with 
a leprosy of a more loathsome, more dangerous 
kind ? I mean the leprosy of sin ! And what 
though this leprosy should not cut off the leper 
from the congregation and society here below— 
mark my word, if uncleansed, it must, it will, 
cut him off from a better congregation, and a 
more glorious society, in a better world than 
this; for 

u Those holy gates for ever bar 
Pollution, sin, and shame; 
None shall obtain admittance there 
But followers of the Lamb." 

In speaking further from the words of our 
text, I wish to notice some points of resemblance 
between a leprous Naaman and an awakened 
sinner ; and I am free to say, I do think that 
the points of resemblance are very exact. 

I. Both are diseased. — Naaman was a leper, 
so also is the sinner ; and although the leprosy 
of the one was of a natural or physical charac- 
ter, and the leprosy of the other, moral or spir- 
itual, yet in several particulars they strongly 
resemble each other. Was the leprosy of 
Naaman polluting ? So also is the leprosy of 



118 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



sin. Indeed, there is nothing more polluting 
than sin. It mars all beauty, and makes the 
subject thereof loathsome and abominable in 
the sight of a pure and holy God. Hence the 
language of Isaiah, " Wo is me, for I am un- 
done, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I 
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; 
for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of 
Hosts." And hence, also, the language of the 
man of Uz : " I have heard of thee, by the 
hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth 
thee, wherefore, I abhor myself, and repent in 
dust and ashes." Was the leprosy of Naaman 
destructive of happiness ? There is nothing in 
all the universe more destructive of all happi- 
ness than sin. It is that which has ruined 
angels, and ruined man ! It is that which has 
occasioned every tear of sorrow, every sigh of 
grief, and every pang of agony! It is that 
which has withered every thing that is fair, 
blasted every thing that is good, and made bit- 
ter every thing that is sweet ! It is that which 
has dried up every spring of comfort, and 
rolled a tide of sorrow far and wide ! Was the 
leprosy of Naaman a deadly disease, not to be 
cured by any mortal power? So, also, is the 
leprosy of sin. It strikes its roots deep into 
the centre of the soul; generates therein a 
worm which shall never die; and kindles 
therein a fire never to be quenched. It spreads 



SECOND SERIES. 



119 



disease and death over the whole moral man ! 
Yes, and the awakened sinner is sensible of his 
spiritual maladies. He remembers the words 
of the prophet: " The whole head is sick; the 
whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot, 
even unto the head, there is no soundness in it, 
but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores." 
The understanding is darkened, the heart is 
hard, the will rebellious, and the conscience 
seared. Every thing is wrong ! There is a 
deep and total depravity! If there be some 
good affections, they are mixed up with sin ; 
if some amiable traits of character, they are 
like blocks of marble, and beautiful columns 
in a house not plumb ; or, like the mechanism 
of a watch, which has been magnetized, and 
therefore not fit for use. Something must be 
done ! There must be some renovating pro- 
cess—aye, and something accomplished by a 
Divine power, or the sinner's case is hopeless. 
He is ruined and undone for ever ! But this 
leads me to remark, 

II. Both Naaman and the awakened sinner 
are miserable. They have trouble and distress 
— really can enjoy nothing. — Naaman, crowned 
with laurels, and enriched with spoils, wanted 
nothing, it seems, to make him happy, but a 
healthful and vigorous body. Wanting this, 
the man is wretched. Ah! what is all the 
pomp of royalty— what all the splendour of 



120 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



wealth, and the delicacy of viands, to one un- 
fitted to enjoy them? Even so it is with the 
awakened sinner. It may be fair and serene 
without; it is not so within, for the wicked are 
as the troubled sea which cannot rest, whose 
waters cast up mire and dirt. A sudden death 
alarms him ; awful dispensations of Providence 
force painful convictions upon his mind; or, 
perchance, conflicting passions rage within, 
and make him wretched. Now, too, it may 
be, the sunshine of prosperity is darkened ; the 
clouds of adversity are lowering around. The 
sinner feels, or thinks he feels, the mud walled 
cottage trembling, breaking down, and, alas! 
for him, he has no building of God ; no house 
made without hands, eternal, and on high! 
And now, also, it may be, conscience wakes to 
sleep no more. Remorse for the past throws 
his thoughts upon the future ; worse dread of 
the future strikes them back upon the past! 
He turns, and turns, and finds no ray. Does 
the clock strike, he is ready to cry out with 
the despairing, dying Altamont: "O time! 
time! it is fit that thou should st thus strike thy 
murderer to the heart ! How art thou fled for 
ever! A month, a day; I ask not for years, 
though an age were too little for the much 
which I have to do!" Or, say, he is no des- 
pairing, dying Altamont — Is he an awakened 
sinner ? he is not at rest — he is not happy — he 



SECOND SERIES. 



121 



cannot be ! In the possession of riches, of 
honours, of " all the world calls good or great," 
"his heart distrustful asks, if this be joy?" 
There is a burden upon his soul — the burden 
of sin — a burden too heavy for him to bear. 
Amid the pursuits of the day, his mind is 
thoughtful ; amid the shades of the night his 
eyes are wakeful. He sighs ! He groans in- 
wardly. He knows not what to do. He knows 
not where to turn — is ready to ask, What must 
I do? Is ready to cry out, God be merciful 
to me a sinner ! O yes, the awakened sinner 
is not happy ; he is miserable ; he feels wretch- 
ed. He is, perhaps, almost ready to wish he 
had never been born. He feels that he is a 
sinner, and knows not how to get rid of his 
sins. He knows he must die, and his con- 
science tells him that he is not prepared to 
die. He believes that after death comes the 
judgment, and alas ! what will become of him 
in the judgment day ! He is ready to exclaim, 
O that I were a Christian ! I would give the 
world only to have the Christian's hope ! 
This leads me to notice another point of 
resemblance between a leprous Naaman and 
an awakened sinner. 

III. Both are willing to go far and do much 
to obtain a cure — are willing to do any thing, if 
they can only obtain the object desired, in their 
own way. — To be delivered from his leprosy, 
11 



122 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Naaman was willing, for a season, to withdraw 
from the splendours of a court, the adulations 
of his flatterers, and the caresses of his coun- 
trymen : — he was willing to come all the way 
from Syria to Samaria — moreover, he was will- 
ing to give ten talents of silver, six thousand 
pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment; 
nay, he was willing to do almost anything in 
the world, if by that means he could get rid of 
the leprosy which cleaved to him. Just so it 
is with the awakened sinner : he is willing to 
go far and do much to obtain salvation. If he 
were required to perform penances, or go on 
a pilgrimage to Mecca, or brave the fury and 
storm of battle; — if he were required to bestow 
all his goods to feed the poor, and give his body 
to be burned — or leap down the falls of Niagara, 
to secure salvation, I believe he would willing- 
ly do it ! — any thing, if he can only be permit- 
ted to have his own way, and purchase salva- 
tion. O, how the awakened sinner does long 
to ride to heaven in a chariot of his own! 
How he does long to wash his robes, and make 
them white, by the labour of his own hands ! 
A legal spirit is deeply seated in his bosom. 
It is a part of his unrenewed nature; hence, 
every sinner, when awakened, immediately 
goes about to work out his own righteousness. 
He goes from duty to duty, from ordinance to 
ordinance, from resolution to resolution ; thus 



SECOND SERIES. 



123 



endeavouring to establish a righteousness of 
his own. Forgetting the words of the apostle, 
" By grace are ye saved, through faith, and 
that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not 
of works, lest any man should boast :" for- 
getting, I say, all this, he labours hard to merit 
salvation, and thus be his own Saviour. But, 
as a person may go one hundred leagues, and 
not reach a place only one mile distant — be- 
cause he does not go in the right way — so 
many a sinner, greatly desiring to obtain salva- 
tion, has done much to obtain it, and yet has 
failed. And why ? Because he has indulged 
in a legal spirit — has sought salvation by the 
works of the law, and not by faith. This leads 
to another point of resemblance between the 
Syrian leper and the awakened sinner : 

IV. Both are at first dissatisfied with the 
remedy proposed, — Although Naaman knew 
that his leprosy was a loathsome and deadly 
disease; although he was willing to come all 
the way from Syria to Samaria ; although he 
was willing to part with his talents of silver, 
and his pieces of gold, and his changes of rai- 
ment; although he was willing to do almost 
any thing in the world, to be cured of his lep- 
rosy ; yet, when he comes to the house of the 
prophet, and finds how simple and humiliating 
are the terms proposed, his pride is wounded, 
and he turns away in a rage. Mark the pride 



124 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of the man! "What!" says he, "surely the 
prophet does not know who I am ! Does he 
know that I am Syria's chieftain ?— that I have 
come in pomp and splendour, with my horses 
and my chariot — with my silver and my gold ? 
Does he know that I am the favourite of my 
king, and the idol of my countrymen ? — that I 
am a rich man, a great man, a man of war, 
and a mighty man? And will he not come 
out and pay me that respect due to my rank 
and character ? He sends a messenger to me. 
A messenger! I expected more than this! 
Behold, I thought he himself would come out 
to me, and stand, and call upon the Lord his 
God, and strike his hand over the place, and 
recover the leper! I thought he would cure 
me in a manner comporting with my dignity. 
But not so! He sends a messenger to me! 
And, pray, what is his message? He tells me 
to go and bathe in Jordan seven times ! And 
why in Jordan? Does not that contemptible 
stream belong to that contemptible people, 
many of whom I have recently conquered, and 
led captive into my own land ? Then, why in 
Jordan! I see what the man would be aiming 
at! He would have me dip in Jordan, and 
thus acknowledge myself indebted to the Jews 
for a cure ! — I will die a leper first ! What ! 
such a man as I? a rich man, a great man, a 
mighty man, the conqueror of the Jews — such 



SECOND SERIES. 



125 



a man as I am, acknowledge myself indebted 
to the Jews for a cure ? Not I ! I'll die a leper 
a thousand times first ! 'Are not Abana and 
Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all 
the waters of Israel ? May I not wash in them, 
and be clean?' " So he turned and went 
away in a rage. Wretched man ! he would be 
wretched, because he would be proud. He is 
a leper, a loathsome leper, and yet he would 
be proud. "What an admirable picture of the 
natural, or unrenewed man ! How exact to the 
very life ! The sinner is a leper ; he knows 
that the leprosy of sin is upon him ; that it has 
spread over his whole moral system ; that it is 
working disease and death within him, and if 
not removed, will cut him off from heaven, and 
ruin him for ever. In these circumstances, he 
asks with more or less anxiety, what he must 
do to be saved? and when told, "Believe in the 
Lord Jesus Christ and be saved" — these 
terms are too hard and unreasonable ! They 
are too simple — too humbling. They do not 
suit his proud and lofty soul; and he turns 
away in a rage. Yes, the heart of the sinner 
rises up against this way of salvation. Some- 
times there is a positive enmity awakened, and 
the sinner would almost rather not be saved at 
all, than to be saved in a manner so galling to 
his proud and carnal heart. If salvation w r ere 
put up at auction, he would bid high for it; 
11* 



126 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



but to be saved in the way pointed out in the 
gospel — this does not suit his taste — does not 
fall in with the feelings of his unsanctified 
heart ! He objects to this plan ; he turns away 
from it, and would choose rather to be saved in 
some other way; and when told, that "other 
foundation can no man lay, than is laid, which 
is Jesus Christ," he does not like it; and when 
it is pressed upon him, like Naaman, he turns 
away, and is ready to say : " Are not Abana 
and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than 
all the waters of Israel ? May I not wash in 
them and be clean?" In other words, May I 
not be saved in my own w r ay ? 

It may here be proper to inquire why the 
sinner is not pleased with the plan proposed in 
the gospel. One might suppose that the sin- 
ner, feeling himself to be a sinner, and know- 
ing himself to be exposed to the wrath and 
curse of God, would be willing to be saved in 
any way. But no, we find it a universal fact, 
that the sinner tries his own plans first, and 
never will fall in with Heaven's plan, until he 
finds that, absolutely, he must, or he must 
perish for ever. The fact is well known ; the 
reasons may be these : 

First: The plan of salvation proposed in the 
gospel strips the sinner of his self-righteous- 
ness. All unconverted persons, but especially 
those who have been more moral and genteel, 



SECOND SERIES. 



127 



those who have moved in respectable circles, 
and who have been classed with the benevo- 
lent and honourable ones of the day, are apt to 
imagine that they have something to recom- 
mend them, even in the sight of God their 
Maker. They are sinners, no doubt, but not 
great sinners. "Why! what harm have I 
done? I have injured no man; I have de- 
frauded no man; I am no liar, no drunkard, 
no gambler; I never swear, except when I am 
angry; I pay all my just debts; I have a re- 
spect for good ministers, and go to hear them, 
and, according to my means, I contribute to 
their support. Moreover, I am a member of 
the Bible Society, and give to many benevo- 
lent institutions ; and now, pray, what lack I 
yet?" The sum of the matter is this: the sin- 
ner begins with the confession that he is a sin- 
ner, and winds up with the belief that he is a 
pretty good man, and that his good deeds en- 
title him, at least, to some consideration. But 
the gospel comes, and addresses him, not as a 
pretty good man, but as a sinner, a great sin- 
ner, a lost and ruined sinner. The gospel tells 
him that his heart is deceitful above all things, 
and desperately wicked; that his whole life 
has been a life of departure from God; that 
his best actions have been mixed with sin; 
and that, in the sight of his Maker, all his 
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; that the 



128 



REVIVAL SERMONS, 



prayer of the publican suits him as truly as 
any other, and that if he ever is saved, it must 
be purely by grace, and in Christ alone. Now 
this does not fall in with his self-righteous feel- 
ings. He wishes some respect shown to him, 
on account of his being rather better than 
some others; and is not willing to be placed on 
the same platform with the vilest of sinners, 
and like them, be saved entirely on the score of 
free grace. This is too humbling to the pride 
of his heart ; and when he is told that it is even 
so, that in the sight of God he also is a great sin- 
ner, a vile sinner, and if ever saved, " Christ 
must be all his hope, and grace all his song 
this doctrine does not suit him; and, when in- 
sisted upon, he is displeased, and is ready to say, 
What is the use of being so rigid and precise ? 
May not a more genteel and fashionable reli- 
gion answer just as well, and a little better 
too? "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of 
Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? 
May I not wash in them and be clean?" So 
he turns away in a rage. Unhappy sinner! 
He would be unhappy because he would be 
self-righteous and proud. O how hard it is 
for the sinner to feel that he is a sinner, a 
guilty, hell-deserving sinner! How hard for 
him to realize that he lies low in the ruins of 
the fall! that in the sight of a pure and holy 
God he is vile, and if ever saved, it must be 



SECOND SERIES. 



129 



by grace, and grace alone! This is so galling, 
so humbling to his proud and lofty soul. 
Pride is in his very nature. O this pride, this 
abominable pride ! How it blocks up the way 
to heaven! How it bars up against him the 
gates of glory ! Now, permit me to say, This 
pride must be brought down — as it is written, 
"The Lord resisteth the proud, but giveth 
grace unto the humble." And again, "The 
loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the 
haughtiness of men shall be laid low ; and the 
Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." 

Secondly: Another reason why the sinner 
does not, at first, like the plan proposed in the 
gospel is this : On account of the self-denial 
which it exacts. 

"Deny thyself and take thy cross, 

Is the Redeemer's great command. " 

Now, this is a hard saying. Who can hear it ? 
The sinner, perhaps, is young, and in the 
midst of all the pleasurable scenes of life ; and 
he is told, if he becomes a Christian he must 
deny himself; he must renounce the world, 
with all its pomps and vanities ; he must come 
out from the world, withdraw from places of 
fashionable resort, give up all sinful pleasures; 
he must break away from his irreligious com- 
panions, no longer go with them in the flowery 
and devious paths of sin. The spirit of the 



130 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



world he most not indulge in. He must repu- 
diate its maxims, its manners, and every thing 
that is opposed to the genius of a religion that 
is holy, and heavenly, and divine. He must 
not suffer " the lust of the flesh, nor the lust 
of the eye, nor the pride of life," to have do- 
minion over him any more. He must set his 
face and heart against sin of every kind, whe- 
ther fashionable or unfashionable, whether 
profitable or unprofitable, whether pleasurable 
or not. He must be willing to take the yoke 
of Christ upon him, and maintain a holy sin- 
gularity; aye, and "touch not, taste not, han- 
dle not" any thing that is offensive to God. or 
polluting to the soul. This is not pleasant to 
the sinner. He is willing to give up some 
sins, but not all — some worldly amusements, 
but not all. He does not like strict rules ; he 
does not like religious restraints. He wishes 
to go along with the world, at least to a certain 
extent. He wishes to have some latitude in 
the matter of worldly pursuits and pleasures, 
and he does not like to be so bound up as not 
to be permitted, occasionally, to attend dancing 
parties in the evening, or pleasurable excur- 
sions on the Sabbath, or to resent injuries. 
He is much disposed to compromise matters; 
to enjoy religion and the world too. But the 
gospel is stern and uncompromising. The 
sinner must give up every sin ; though dear 



SECOND SERIES. 



131 



as a right eye, he must pluck it out; though 
dear as a right hand, he must cut it off. Yea, 
he must live denied to all ungodliness and 
worldly lusts, and live soberly, and righteous- 
ly, and godly, in this present world. Now, 
thinks he, Is not this carrying matters a little 
too far ? Is not this fanaticism ? What is the 
use of being so strict and strait-laced ? What 
is the use of being righteous overmuch ? May 
not a more genteel and accommodating reli- 
gion answer just as well? and even a little bet- 
ter? "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of 
Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? 
May I not wash in them and be clean?" So 
he turns away in a rage. Unhappy sinner ! 
He would be unhappy, because he does not 
wish to deny himself of all ungodliness and 
worldly lust. He does not wish, entirely, to 
let go his hold upon the world. There is 
some darling sin, some beloved lust or idol, 
which he wishes still to enjoy; and religion 
won't let him ; hence the warfare and the bat- 
tle in the sinner's soul! 

A third reason why the sinner does not, at 
first, like the plan proposed in the gospel, is 
the spirituality which it requires. I never 
knew an unregenerate man spiritual in all my 
life. He may take much pleasure in forms 
and ceremonies, but for that which is truly 
spiritual, he has no relish. The homage of a 



132 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



lip-service, and the compliment of a bended 
knee, he may be willing to offer to his Maker, 
but his heart is not in the matter. His spirit 
is not devout — never truly and deeply devout. 
He runs over the surface of things, and greatly 
prefers the form to the power of godliness. He 
takes no pleasure in drawing near to God, nor 
is he much inclined to pray in secret, nor to 
worship God, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in 
truth. He has no objection, it may be, to con- 
verse about religion in general, and is willing 
to hear what he calls a good sermon, but 
he is not remarkably fond of plain, pungent, 
and practical preaching. If the minister has 
an agreeable person and a fine voice ; if he is 
graceful in his gestures and has a brilliant 
imagination ; if he can deal in flowers of rhe- 
toric, or spread an intellectual treat before his 
hearers, he can listen to him, it may be, for 
one full hour. But let the man of God wax 
warm ; let him lay aside his beautiful things 
and come down to the law and to the testi- 
mony ; let him speak about the claims of the 
law, its extent and spirituality ; let him thun- 
der out its anathemas against the sinner ; let 
him repeat what is written — " Cursed is every 
one that continueth not in all things written in 
the book of the law to do them;" let him press 
the necessity of repentance and faith, and re- 
iterate the language of the Saviour, " Except 



SECOND SERIES. 133 

a man be born again he cannot see the king- 
dom of God" — then the sinner's attention be- 
gins to flag. He begins to be restless and 
uneasy; thinks the sermon too long; and se- 
cretly resolves that he will come to hear that 
man no more. " I don't like these preachers 
these days," said a certain man who had been 
listening to an awakening preacher during a 
season of revival : " I don't like these preachers 
these days, they make one feel so bad." Here 
the secret is revealed. Whilst the minister 
was dealing in beautiful things, and general 
things, the sinner's conscience was not dis- 
turbed; but when the claims of the law were 
presented, and the sinner's guilt and danger 
were made to start up before his mind, his car- 
nal security was interrupted. He began to 
see that he was not quite so good as he had 
imagined himself to be. There w^as a sinking 
at his heart, an unwelcome perad venture, that, 
notwithstanding all his fond and cherished 
hopes, his state might not be so safe after all. 
No, no ! he does not wish religion to have full 
dominion over him. It will interfere with 
some of his pursuits and schemes, and he is 
much disposed to say, " Go thy way for this 
time; when I have a convenient season, I will 
call for thee." The sinner will, perhaps, read 
the Bible ; but he has no particular relish for 
the psalms of David, nor Paul's epistles. He 
12 



134 



REVIVAL SERMONS, 



greatly prefers the narrative and historical por- 
tions, and will speak in high terms of the 
Bible. " The Bible ! the Bible!" he will say, 
" Why, sir, the Bible is the best book in the 
world! The doctrines, how sublime! The 
precepts, how perfect! The parables, how 
beautiful ! There is the parable of the prodi- 
gal son, and the parable of the good Samari- 
tan; why, sir, these are some of the finest spe- 
cimens of moral painting ever presented to an 
admiring world! Sooner shall the seraph/ s 
voice lose its melody, than these parables cease 
to charm!" But now, should the person with 
whom he is conversing say, " It pleases me 
much, sir, to find that you think so highly of 
the sacred volume; but, as that book lays great 
stress upon the doctrine of the new birth, or 
regeneration, will you permit me to ask you 
one question? Do you really think, sir, that 
you have experienced this spiritual change, 
without which no one can enter heaven?" "I 
would be glad," replies he, " to know what 
you think about infants. Do you think all 
infants will be saved?" Let the pious friend 
rejoin, " Sir, I believe that those who die in 
infancy are saved ; but I was not talking about 
infants. I was, with all respect, inquiring 
about your hopes for eternity. I greatly desire 
your salvation; I wish you to dig deep, and 
lay a good foundation for eternity; will you, 



SECOND SERIES. 



135 



therefore, permit me to press the question, Do 
you really think that you are a converted 
man?" "Can you tell me, sir," says he, "who 
was Melchizedek ? Without father, without 
mother, without beginning of days or end of 
years! Why, who can this be?" 

My brethren, I suppose you understand this 
matter ; the case is drawn from real life. The 
sinner is willing to talk on the subject of reli- 
gion in a certain way, but he washes not to 
have any thing of a spiritual nature pressed 
upon him ; nothing that will trouble his con- 
science, or lead to any great searchings of 
heart. The fact is, as yet, he is not a spiritual 
man, and therefore does not like spiritual 
things. He has no objection to the forms of 
godliness, but the power of it he understands 
not- When, therefore, he is told that he must 
worship God, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in 
truth; that he must pray in secret; that he 
must remember the Sabbath day to keep it 
holy ; that he must live by faith, and walk by 
faith, and that he must see to it, that his heart 
is right in the sight of God : in a word, when 
spiritual duties and exercises are insisted upon, 
and he is told that he must continually strive 
to have the Spirit of him who said, "Truly, 
our fellowship is with the Father, and with 
his Son, Jesus Christ" — these things, in his 
estimation, are hard requirements; they are 



136 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



distasteful to him ; they are deemed unneces- 
sary and puritanical; and when urged, he is 
much inclined to be offended, and, turning 
away in disgust, his spirit utters the language 
of Naaman — "Are not Abana and " Pharpar, 
rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters 
of Israel? May I not wash in them and be 
clean?" Thus the sinner is still unhappy, 
because opposed to the gospel plan, O ! how 
he longs to be saved in his own way ! but the 
Bible will not permit him, and hence the 
struggles in the sinner's bosom — the warfare 
and the battle in the sinner's soul. 

A fourth and last reason which I shall men- 
tion, why the sinner does not, at first, relish 
the plan proposed in the gospel, is this : It 
requires him to accept the Saviour cordially, 
in all his offices. In the sacred volume, the 
blessed Redeemer is exhibited in a great varie- 
ty of characters, but in none does he appear as 
he should in the eyes of the sinner. Is Jesus 
a Prophet? What occasion for such a teacher 
to instruct him? "The light of reason," and 
the sentiments of the learned, he thinks, will 
answer just as well. Is Jesus a Priest? What 
occasion has he for such a one to intercede and 
atone for him ? Tears of repentance, and moral 
reformation, he thinks, are all-sufficient to se- 
cure his pardon. Is Jesus Christ a King? 
The proud sinner wants no king to rule in and 



SECOND SERIES. 



137 



reign over him. His lips are his own — who is 
Lord over him! Is Jesus a Physician? To 
be sure, the sinner knows that there is a moral 
leprosy upon him, but he hopes the case is not 
so bad, after alL Why may not the " balsam 
of tears," and the " opiates of morality" effect a 
speedy cure? And, as for this Fountain opened 
in the house of David for sin and uncleanness, 
what occasion is there for that? "Are not 
Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better 
than all the waters of Israel ? May I not wash 
in them and be clean?" So he turns away in 
a rage. How exact are the points of resem- 
blance between Naaman and the awakened 
sinner ! Surely this fragment of history was 
recorded, to present, with liveliness, in a figure, 
the case of the awakened sinner, in every 
place, and in every age ! One point of resem- 
blance more, and I have done. 

V. Both are shut up to the remedy proposed; 
it is that, or death ! — This is a most important 
point of resemblance, and one which must 
never be forgotten. Both are shut up to the 
remedy proposed ; it is that, or death ! When 
Naaman, not pleased with the terms stated, 
turned away, observe, the prophet did not call 
him back; the prophet proposed no compro- 
mise. Dip in Jordan seven times, and thou 
shalt be cleansed— refuse, and take the conse- 
quences. Even so, in the case of the sinner, 
12* 



138 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Let him, by faith, cordially accept of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and he shall be saved; — reject 
him, and the sinner must perish ! Positively, 
there is no other hope for him ! for nothing 
can be more clear and settled than this declara- 
tion — " There is salvation in none else;" and 
this, " Other foundation can no man lay than 
is laid, which is Jesus Christ." And, in sub- 
stance, this solemn truth was announced by the 
Saviour himself, in his last charge to his disci- 
ples: " Go into all the world, and preach the 
gospel to every creature; he that believeth and 
is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth 
not, shall be damned." There has been no 
change, no compromise ; there never will be ! 
for the way of salvation, like the Saviour him- 
self, is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 
Hence the language of the apostle : " How 
shall we escape, if we neglect so great salva- 
tion ?" There is no escape ! The sinner who 
rejects Christ, rejects the only Saviour, the only 
remedy. He cannot be saved by his own works 
of righteousness; he cannot be saved by the 
intercession of saints, nor purgatorial sufferings. 
Jesus Christ is the sinner's last and only hope, 
and if the sinner will not accept of Christ, he 
must perish ! he must die eternally ! he must 
be lost for ever ! O that the sinner would be- 
lieve this truth, this great Bible truth, and come 
to Christ before it is for ever too late ! 



SECOND SERIES. 



139 



When Naaman turned away from the house 
of the prophet — when he resolved to return to 
Syria, and brave the consequences, rather than 
submit to terms so galling to the pride of his 
heart — in these circumstances, it so happened 
that he had with him certain servants, who 
seem to have had a great respect for their mas- 
ter: they greatly desired that he might be 
cured; and to them the opportunity of obtain- 
ing a cure seemed a precious one, and the 
terms by no means hard, or unreasonable : 
" And they came near unto him, and spake 
unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet 
had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou 
not have done it? How much rather, when 
he saith unto thee, wash and be clean !" The 
argument was a good one ; Naaman felt its 
force. He saw that he w T as a poor leper, and 
that pride was not made for him ! He saw 
that his case was a desperate one. He could 
not cure himself; — no one in Syria could re- 
move his leprosy. Here was an opportunity, 
and one only. Had he not better be a little 
humbled, than live and die a loathsome leper? 
Had he not better give up his lofty notions, 
and take the prophet on his own terms ? Yes, 
the urgency of the case demands it; and the 
terms are not hard. Jordan is not far off, and 
how simple, how easy, to dip as the prophet 
directed ! Reason has triumphed ! the ser- 



140 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



vants have prevailed! the proud conqueror, 
the haughty Naaman yields ! " Then went he 
down, and dipped himself seven times in Jor- 
dan, according to the saying of the man of 
God, and his flesh came again unto him as the 
flesh of a little child, and he was clean!" Me- 
thinks I see him coming out of Jordan, cleansed 
of his leprosy — a new man ! How his eyes 
sparkle ! What joy beams in every feature of 
his countenance ! He smiles ! He can scarcely 
believe in the change wrought! It is too good to 
be true ! Surely it must be some sweet dream ! 
" Servants ! is it true? Is your master's lep- 
rosy gone?" — "Yes, master, gone! It is just 
as the prophet has said. Your face is fair and 
beautiful ; your flesh is as the flesh of a little 
child !" — " O blessed prophet! O faithful ser- 
vants ! O happy ! happy me !" Methinks I 
hear the Syrian exclaim — " Yes, blessed pro- 
phet ! faithful servants ! and happy ! happy ! 
thrice happy me ! What a blessed hour ! what 
a blessed change is this to me ! How I re- 
joice that my pride came down! How glad 
I am that I came to the house of the prophet, 
and, especially, that I at length yielded to his 
terms ! This is the happiest hour of my life ; 
more happy than when, on the field of battle, 
I proved a conqueror ! more happy than when 
I was welcomed home, with greetings, and ac- 
clamations, by my royal master, and my grate- 



SECOND SERIES. 



141 



ful countrymen ! And now, when I return to 
Syria, and all shall see that my leprosy is 
cleansed, how with new joy they will greet me 
again ! Will not my wife be made happy ? 
Will not all my acquaintances be filled with 
wonder and delight? Yes, the voice of joy 
and gratulation will salute me on every hand ! 
Surely, we shall have a blessed jubilee !" 

Is there an awakened sinner here? Is there 
one in this large assembly who is sensible that 
a spiritual leprosy cleaves to him? Is he dis- 
tressed by reason of his disease? Is he willing 
to go far and do much to obtain a cure? And 
yet, is he dissatisfied with Heaven's plan of 
saving the sinner? Is he in the indulgence of 
a proud and self-righteous spirit, endeavouring 
to work out his own salvation in his own way? 
Is he unwilling to humble himself at the foot of 
the cross? unwilling to be wholly indebted to 
Christ for salvation? If there be such a one 
present, I would act towards him as Naaman's 
servants did towards the Syrian leper. I 
would come near, I would reason, I would ex- 
postulate, I would entreat. My father! my 
mother! my friend! O my fellow sinner! if 
the prophet — if Jesus Christ had bid you do 
some great thing, would you not have done it? 
How much rather, when he says, Wash and be 
clean ! If he had bid you traverse oceans and 
scale mountains; if he had bid you brave the 



142 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



fury and storm of battle; if he had bid you 
bestow all your goods to feed the poor, and 
give your body to be burned — would you not 
have been willing to do all this, and even more, 
to secure your salvation ? How much rather, 
then, when he says, "Come unto me, all ye 
that are weary and heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest." " Look unto me and be saved 
all ye ends of the earth, for I am God, and be- 
side me there is none else." O how simple is 
the way of salvation ! " Believe in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." The 
sinner cannot save himself. He is not required 
to do it. A Saviour is provided, an all-suffi- 
cient and most glorious Saviour — one who is 
able and willing to save unto the uttermost, all 
who will come unto God through him. This 
blessed Saviour, having made the great aton- 
ing sacrifice, can bestow pardon and life upon 
the very chief of sinners, the vilest of the vile. 
Only let the sinner come to Christ, in all the 
overflowings of a penitent and believing heart, 
his leprosy will be cleansed, his pardon will be 
sealed. Awakened sinner! this is the way! 
How simple! Stumble not at its simplicity. 
How reasonable! Then quarrel no longer 
with Heaven's plan. Again, I say, if the pro- 
phet — if Jesus Christ had bid you do some 
great thing, would you not have done it ? how 
much rather when he says, "Wash and be 



SECOND SERIES. 



143 



clean — believe and be saved." What hinders 
you? Is it a self-righteous spirit? Are you 
righteous in God's account? Remember, he is 
a thrice holy God, and cannot look upon sin 
with the least allowance. Are you righteous 
even in your own account? Has your con- 
science never troubled you? Do you not know, 
do you not feel that you are a sinner — that 
your sins are numerous, and highly aggrava- 
vated? How -do you propose to get rid of your 
sins ? They cleave to you ; no mortal power 
can remove them. Believe me, in the sight of 
a pure and holy God you would have no right- 
eousness to boast of, even if you were as pure 
a man as Isaiah ; for he confessed that all his 
righteousnesses were as filthy rags; and, on a 
certain occasion, he cried out, • 4 Wo is me, for 
I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips, 
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean 
lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the 
Lord of Hosts!" But I ask again, what hin- 
ders the sinner from falling in with the gospel 
plan ? He is proud — too proud to be saved by 
free grace — too proud to be indebted to Christ 
alone for salvation. Proud ! and proud of 
what? Of a rebellious will? of a seared con- 
science? of a sinful life? of a hard heart? 
Proud! Of what? That he is a loathsome 
leper? a condemned sinner? an heir of wrath? 
and a child of the devil? Proud! Of what? Of 



144 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



riches ? Some of ttie vilest on earth are rich. 
Of beauty? Beauty! "The grave discredits 
thee. How are thy charms expunged ! thy 
roses faded, and thy lilies soiled?" Proud ! Of 
what? Of talents? "With the talents of an 
angel a man may be a fool." Proud ! Of what? 
Of splendour and renown? Behold, the Lord 
of hosts doth take away the mighty man, and 
the man of war, the judge and the prophet, 
and the prudent and the ancient, the captain 
of fifty, and the honourable man, and the coun- 
sellor, and the cunning artificer, and the elo- 
quent orator. Ah! my brethren! pride was 
never made for man. The sick chamber may 
teach him this, and so, emphatically, may 
death and the grave. A sinner proud! One 
whose soul is a mass of sin, and whose body 
must soon moulder in the tomb ! He proud ! 
How preposterous and absurd! I repeat it, 
pride was never made for poor sinful man. 
No! the dust is his place, and the prayer of 
the publican his appropriate prayer: " God be 
merciful to me a sinner." And now, haughty 
Naaman, let your pride come down. Turn 
your chariot, and go to Jordan. Yield, O yield 
to the terms of the prophet, and let your lepro- 
sy pass away! O sinner! sinner! be per- 
suaded to fall in with the terms of the gospel ! 
Yield your heart to Christ ; you will never re- 
pent it. Did Naaman repent complying with 



SECOND SERIES. 145 

the terms of the prophet? No, he rejoiced 
with exceeding great joy — he rejoiced in it to 
his dying day ! And so will you, and not to 
your dying day only, but to all eternity. I 
have seen sinners coming to Christ. I have 
seen them in the day of their conversion. O 
what a blessed moment! what a glorious 
change ! The soul has new feelings ; the heart 
has new joy ! Every thing within is pleasant ; 
every thing around is lovely. The sun shines 
more brightly, and the birds sing more sweet- 
ly. The flowers are more beautiful, and 
even the grass looks more green. Yes, it is 
even so. Sometimes the young convert feels 
as if he had entered into a new world — rejoices 
with joy unspeakable, and full of glory — yea, 
"Has a young heaven begun below, and glory 
in the bud." Tell me not that this is fanati- 
cism ! If it be, it is the fanaticism of the pen- 
tecostal converts, for we are told that "they 
did eat their meat with gladness and singleness 
of heart, praising God." It is the fanaticism 
of those who were converted in Samaria, for 
we are told that " there was great joy in that 
city." When the Philippian jailor was con- 
verted, according to the Scriptures he rejoiced 
in God with all his house. And what is said 
of the eunuch when he was brought under the 
influence of God's converting grace? "He, 
also, went on his way rejoicing." This is no- 
13 



146 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



fanaticism. It is all perfectly reasonable and 
natural. Should a poor man suddenly become 
rich, or a sick man all at once find himself in 
strong health — should a person who was sleep- 
ing in a dungeon wake up in a palace, or he 
w T ho was in a wilderness find himself in a gar- 
den — how sweet would be the surprise ! how 
delightful the feelings! Even so it is with 
him who passes from a state of nature to a state 
of grace. 

"When God revealed his gracious name ; 
And changed my mournful state; 
My rapture seemed a pleasing dream, 
The grace appeared so great !" 

Well may there be joy, yea " rapture," in the 
soul, seeing that every thing in relation to the 
sinner has undergone so great and pleasing a 
change. The bond-slave of the devil has be- 
come the freedman of Christ, and the heir of 
wrath an heir of glory ! O that many hearts 
may even now yield, and may this be the 
birth day of many a precious soul! 

When Naaman returned to Syria, cleansed 
of his leprosy, no doubt there were rejoicings 
there! How joyfully must his friends have 
greeted him, now returned safe and sound ! 
and O how happy, especially, must have been 
his kindred, the members of his own family ! 
Surely the voice of joy and gratulation was 
heard on every hand J Surely there must have 



SECOND SERIES. 



147 



been a jubilee for many days! And now, 
should the awakened sinner come to Christ, 
what joy would this inspire in many bosoms! 
This would be an occasion long to be remem- 
bered. Yes, only let these anxious souls w T ho 
are now weeping — only let them now come to 
Christ, and we shall have a jubilee here too ! 
O how that pious father would rejoice in the 
conversion of his son ! How that pious mo- 
ther, who for years has been praying for her 
daughter — how she would press to her bosom 
with feelings of new delight that beloved 
daughter, once careless, now a Mary at the 
feet of her Redeemer ! How would the pious 
wife rejoice over the conversion of her hus- 
band ! and the pious husband over the conver- 
sion of his wife ! How brothers and sisters 
would rush into each other's arms, and give 
glory to God, that now, at last, they were going 
to heaven hand in hand ! I have beheld such 
scenes. They bring us near to heaven. O 
for the yielding of hearts! the breaking down 
of strongholds! God grant us a pentecostal 
time, a blessed jubilee now, even in this place, 
and at this time ! O Lord, revive thy work ! 
Let the people praise thee, let all this people 
praise thee! Amen, and Amen! 



148 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



SERMON VI. 

THE EXAMPLE OF ELI. 

For I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which 
he knoweth : because his sons made themselves vile 5 and he restrained them 
not.— 1 Samuel iii. 13. 

The case of Eli is melancholy, yet full of 
instruction ; and, whilst there is a parent on 
earth, it will sound an alarm, which must, and 
will be heard. Eli was high-priest, and was, 
upon the whole, a good man; but in one thing 
he was much to be blamed — he neglected 
parental duty — "His sons made themselves 
vile, and he restrained them not/' 

Bending now beneath the load of age, this 
good, but too indulgent parent, had retired 
from the active duties of the priesthood. 
These duties had devolved upon his two sons, 
Hophni and Phinehas; but, alas! they were 
" sons of Belial for, although ministering as 
priests, in the service of the Lord, they were 
openly immoral ! Indeed, so shameful were 
the immoralities of the young men, that " men 
abhorred the offering of the Lord." Eli, it is 
true, was probably not an eye-witness of his 
sons' immoralities, but he was not ignorant of 
them; for, we are told, that he heard all that 
his sons did unto all Israel, but he restrained 
them not. To be sure, he did not pass over 



SECOND SERIES. 



149 



the matter entirely, in silence. No, he rea- 
soned, he expostulated, and even reproved 
them, saying, " Why do ye such things? for I 
hear of your evil doings, by all this people; 
nay, my sons, it is no good report that I hear 
of you. You make the Lord's people to trans- 
gress. If one man sin against another, the 
judge shall judge him ; but if a man sin against 
the Lord, who shall entreat for him?" Thus, 
he reasoned, and expostulated, and gently re- 
proved, but restrained them not. This was not 
enough. The sins of the young men were 
flagrant, and called for stronger measures. 
He ought to have rebuked them sharply. He 
ought to have exerted his authoritj^, and put 
these sons of Belial out of the priesthood. But, 
no! his too indulgent spirit, his overweening 
fondness — perhaps I should rather say, his 
criminal weakness — caused him to neglect pa- 
rental duty ; and what was the consequence ? 
Terrible, indeed! God's righteous anger is 
kindled, and it burns fiercely, against the 
household of this venerable, but unhappy old 
man. The first alarming intimations of divine 
wrath is made by a prophet, who, divinely 
commissioned, comes to Shiloh, and rings an 
awful peal in the ears of Eli, predicting heavy 
judgments, just at hand. Shortly after this, 
the Lord appeared to Samuel, by night, and 
said unto him: "Behold, I will do a thing in 
13* 



150 



'revival sermons, 



Israel, at which both the ears of every one 
that heareth it shall tingle ! In that day, I 
will perform against Eli all things which I 
have spoken concerning his house. When I 
begin, I will also make an end : for I have told 
him that I will judge his house for ever, for 
the iniquity which he knoweth : because his 
sone made themselves vile, and he restrained 
them not: therefore have I sworn unto the 
house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house 
shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offer- 
ing for ever." These were not vain words. 
At this time, there was war between the Isra- 
elites and the Philistines. To animate and 
encourage the former, the ark of God was car- 
ried from Shiloh into their camp. Hophni and 
Phinehas, as officiating priests, went along with 
the ark. When the ark was brought into the 
camp of Israel, all Israel shouted with a great 
shout, so that the earth rang again ! When 
the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, 
and understood the occasion thereof, they were 
terrified, and cried out, saying, " God is come 
into the camp ! Woe unto us ! Who shall 
deliver us out of the hands of these mighty 
gods? These are the gods which smote the 
Egyptians with all the plagues, in the wilder- 
ness." Nevertheless, they encouraged each 
other, saying, " Be strong, and quit yourselves 
like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not ser- 



SECOND SERIES. 



151 



vants to the Hebrews, as they have been to 
you. Quit yourselves like men, and fight!" 

And now the contending forces rush to bat- 
tle. The clash of arms is heard. The battle 
rages. The earth is red with blood ! Eli, all 
anxiety, is seated at the gate of the city. From 
an elevated seat he looks towards the battle- 
field, watching, for his heart trembled for the 
ark of God. Suddenly a man of Benjamin is 
seen coming in haste, wdth his clothes rent, 
and dust upon his head! What is the mat- 
ter? Ah! he brings dreadful tidings! "What 
is there done, my son?" exclaims Eli, all alarm 
and anxiety — "What is there done, my son?" 
And the messenger answ r ered and said, " Israel 
is fled ! There has been a great slaughter 
amongst the people ! Thy two sons, Hophni 
and Phinehas, are dead ! and the ark of God is 
taken!" O the poor old man! See! he sinks! 
he has swooned aw 7 ay! he has fallen! — "And 
when Eli heard that the ark of God was taken, 
he fell from off his seat, backward, by the side 
of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died, 
for he was an old man, and heavy." Methinks 
as he heard of the disasters of the day he ex- 
claimed — God of heaven, this is thy righteous 
judgment! My sons made themselves vile, 
and I restrained them not, and they are cut off 
in the midst of their sins! My sons profaned 
the ark of God, and, wo upon wo! it also is 



152 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



taken !— Ah ! my brethren, this is more than 
the poor old man can bear ! He swoons ! he 
falls backward from his seat upon the ground. 
His neck breaks, and he dies! The wife of 
Phinehas, too, not far off, hears the dismal 
tidings. She gives a piercing shriek! Pre- 
mature pangs come upon her; she groans in 
anguish; names her child Ichabod, (which 
means, the glory is departed,) and dies ! O, day 
of disaster ! O, scene of no common mourn- 
ing! Only see ! — on yonder field of battle lie 
two impious sons, weltering in their gore! 
Near the gate of the city, the old man, pros- 
trate upon the ground, dead, and his silvery 
locks dishonoured in the dust! And, not far 
off, a daughter-in-law shrieks and expires! 
And now, over this scene of disaster and war, 
methinks the voice of an invisible one thrills 
through the air — " For I have told him that I 
will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity 
which he knoweth; because his sons made 
themselves vile, and he restrained them not; 
therefore have I sworn to the house of Eli, that 
the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged 
with sacrifice nor offering for ever !" 

There are parents in this assembly; it may 
be in many respects good parents, but perhaps 
some of them are Elis; — good parents, but 
they neglect parental duty. O what a serious 
matter this is! It is, alas! too common, and 



SECOND SERIES. 153 

who can tell the evils flowing from it, even 
from generation to generation! If there be 
any present who are walking in the footsteps 
of the too indulgent and unhappy Eli, I would 
desire, at this time, to address them with 
much plainness, and yet with great kindness 
and respect — remembering that I am also a 
parent, and perhaps need rebuke and counsel 
as well as they. I could wish myself better 
qualified to speak upon the subject than I am ; 
yet it may not be amiss for me here simply to 
say, that however deficient I myself may have 
been in the matter of parental duty, yet I 
would say, to the praise of God's grace, that I 
have the prospect of meeting my whole family 
unbroken in heaven; and every child, save one, 
was hopefully converted in the morning of 
life. 

Our text is rarely taken. Too seldom is the 
subject of parental duty, or family government, 
presented from the sacred desk ; and this, per- 
haps, is one reason, that teachers of common 
schools, and officers in seminaries of learning 
of a higher character, so frequently have occa- 
sion to complain of "bad boys," and boys that 
are rude, and difficult to be controlled. I know 
that oftentimes there is a fault in the nursery, 
and that some mothers are not happy in the 
management of their children; permitting 
their children to rule them, when they should 



154 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



rule their children. Perhaps the mother is 
deficient in the matter of sound judgment; or 
may not be uniform; or perhaps she cannot 
control herself, and therefore cannot control 
those committed to her charge. But there are 
cases of this kind: — -the mother does every 
thing which a wise and prudent mother ought 
to do, in the training of her children ; but her 
boys are getting rather beyond her control, she 
needs help from the other parent, and this help 
is not afforded. Fathers ! listen! I have heard 
many complaints of this kind. O, ye who are 
emphatically heads of your families — kings in 
your own household — remember! very much 
depends upon you. Some fathers are disposed 
to excuse themselves. Their business, they 
think, is " to make money," and provide for 
their families; and, as the Shunamite father, 
when he was with his reapers in the field, 
and his little boy came to him sick and cri- 
ed, My head ! my head ! only replied, Carry 
him to his mother — for he was too busy to 
attend to such matters — even so, at the present 
day, too many fathers neglect their children, 
turning them over to the care of the mother. 
Thus did not Abraham, for, what said the 
Almighty concerning him ? " I know him, that 
he will command his children, and his house- 
hold after him, and they shall keep the way of 
the Lord." The general subject of family 



SECOND SERIES. 



155 



government, is, however, not at this time to be 
presented. There is, now, only one branch of 
parental duty to which I would particularly 
call your attention, and that is, the duty of 
restraining children from the indulgence of 
things which are vicious and vile. 

I. Parents should restrain their children 
from indulging in evil passions. Certain 
strong feelings of the soul may be highly use- 
ful. If, in their exercise, they are confined to 
proper limits, they give promptness and energy 
to the character; but they must be properly 
controlled. They are like fire, "good servants, 
but bad masters," and require early attention, 
and all proper restraints. If neglected by the 
parent, they are apt to grow with the growth, 
and strengthen with the strength of the child ; 
and, too frequently, they are permitted to get 
the mastery, even in early life. How often 
have I seen petted and spoiled children, raging 
with angry passions, and even treating with 
indignity those who gave them birth. If ever 
parental authority should be exercised, if ever 
the rod of correction should be used, this is the 
time; for the indulgence of violent passions has 
proved the ruin of many. O how many hands 
have been stained with blood ! and how many 
families have been clothed in mourning ! and 
how many poor souls have been sent unpre- 
pared to their last account, by the indulgence 



156 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of evil passions, which ought to have been con- 
trolled, but were not, in the nursery! 

I saw a boy once, not twelve years of age, 
in a prison, who, in a fit of passion, had mur- 
dered one of his companions ! And I saw an- 
other, not ten years old, who, in a paroxysm of 
rage, had hung himself! Moreover, I can 
mention an incident that occurred some years 
ago, which strongly illustrates the evil of not 
controlling children in early life. 

An elder of my church, (a most lovely and 
venerable man, but an Eli, if there ever was 
one in modern times,) had a son, who, when 
about twenty years of age, being angry with 
his father one evening, seized his venerable 
parent by the hair of his head, and endea- 
voured to throw him out of the window of a 
two story house. And now, mark! what did 
this young man the next morning, when the 
violence of his passions had subsided? Did he 
fall upon his knees and beg his father's for- 
giveness? No! he added insult to injury. 
When his father reminded him of his outrage- 
ous conduct, he replied, "Sir, it is your own 
fault ! you ought to have restrained me when 
I was a child." 

Parents ! think upon these things, and when 
yon see your children excited, calm them. 
When you see their passions kindling, hold 
them in check. Do not even suffer them, 



SECOND SERIES. 



157 



when excited, to speak loudly, for it is com- 
mon for persons to become more excited by 
hearing their own voice ; as the lion is said to 
lash himself into a fury by the rapid move- 
ment of his own tail. And above all, beware 
how, by precept or example, you teach your 
children lessons of revenge. I have known a 
mother to strike a chair, against which her 
child had fallen and hurt itself; and who, af- 
fecting passion, said, " Naughty thing! Strike 
it, my dear ! Mother will not let it hurt her 
darling !" And there are fathers who will not 
only suffer themselves to be thrown into a pas- 
sion in the presence of their children, but will, 
positively, teach them with violence to resent 
all injuries. " My son," said a certain parent, 
"you are going to school; if a boy strikes you, 
and you do not return the blow, I will correct 
you." How much better would be this coun- 
sel and this language : "My son, you are going 
to school. Be respectful and kind to all your 
playmates, and they will be respectful and 
kind to you ; for the Bible says, 1 With what 
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you 
again.' " Parents would do well to require 
their children to commit to memory this pas- 
sage of Scripture: "He that is slow to anger 
is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth 
his spirit than he that taketh a city :" — and no- 
thing better than frequently to repeat, in their 
14 



158 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

hearing, what is said of the blessed Saviour : 
"When he was reviled, he reviled not again. 
When he suffered, he threatened not." And, 
also, that even when upon the cross, he prayed 
for his murderers, saying, "Father, forgive 
them, for they know not what they do. 5 ' But, 
parents, if after all good counsel, and this en- 
forced by a good example, you find your 
children will indulge in vindictive and angry 
passions, you know your duty— restrain them ! 
But, 

II. Parents should restrain their children 
from uttering falsehood, or, in plainer language, 
from telling lies. No vice is more sinful or 
degrading; none marks a more depraved heart 
than this. And yet, some children seem to be 
strangely addicted to it, even in early child- 
hood. Indeed, the Bible says, "The wicked 
are estranged from the womb ; they go astray 
as soon as they are born, speaking lies." Vile 
and abominable as this vice is, there are some 
parents who do not frown upon it as they 
should. Nay, some even encourage it! not in- 
tentionally, it may be, and yet they do encou- 
rage it, and that in several ways ; permit me 
to mention a few. The child has told a story, 
a downright falsehood, and the parent smiles. 
And why? There was something amusing in it, 
or something smart; and the parent is evidently 
more pleased with the wit than displeased with 



SECOND SERIES. 



159 



the sin. This is not all. The story is told to 
the next person who steps in, and he must 
needs smile, and say something complimentary 
of the " little rogue," as he is playfully termed, 
or not please the doating parent. Another 
case : — To induce the child to take some nau- 
seous medicine, the parent tells the child it is 
sugar; the child takes the dose, and finds that 
a fraud was practised. Again: — To induce the 
child to remain quietly at home, when the pa- 
rents go to town, a promise is made that such 
a thing will be done, or such a present made ; 
and the promise is broken. Take another 
case : — A certain neighbour is present, and the 
parents profess wonderful friendship, are mar- 
vellously cordial ; but, as soon as he has retired, 
and the door is closed, they turn him into ridi- 
cule, or speak of him with great contempt; and 
this in the presence of the child. Take an- 
other example : — The child, through heedless- 
ness, breaks a plate, and the parent, happening 
at that moment to be in a bad humour, slaps 
the child. The next day the child is detected 
in telling a downright lie, and the parent is 
contented with giving the child a gentle re- 
buke. What impression does this make? 
Why, certainly this — It is more sinful to 
break a plate than to tell a lie ! Sometimes, 
also, parents, for the sake of amusement, or to 
excite wonder, will most grossly discolour nar- 



160 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ratives, and exaggerate matters of fact; and 
will, perhaps, even give fiction for truth. Ah ! 
little do such parents think what evil they are 
doing to their offspring ! Little do they think 
how they are sowing and watering the seeds 
of sin ! — how they are nourishing a germ 
which has within it poison and death ! Pa- 
rents should teach their children how odious 
and sinful all lying is: how offensive to God, 
and how certainly it will bring ruin upon the 
soul. It would be well to remind children 
frequently of what the Bible says: "The 
mouth of him that speaketh lies shall be 
stopped :" and again — " All liars shall have 
their part in the lake which burneth with fire 
and brimstone." "Mr. Baker/' said a little 
boy to me in a certain place, " I can't tell a 
lie." I had just been addressing children, and 
among other things, I had mentioned that a 
good little boy was a father's jewel, and a bad 
little boy was a father's plague. On coming 
out, I laid my hand upon the head of a spright- 
ly, rosy-cheeked boy, of five years of age, and 
said, " My little friend, are you your father's 
jewel?" "Mr. Baker," said he, "I can't tell 
a lie. I am my father's jewel," His father 
was a worthy elder of the church, and had no 
doubt taught him the exceeding sinfulness of 
lying, and that truth, like the name of the ever 
blessed God, is most sacred, and must in no 



SECOND SERIES. 



161 



form or fashion be trifled with. Parents, at- 
tend to this matter ! If your children are 
acquiring the habit of lying, remember, they 
are making themselves vile. Forget not your 
responsibility — restrain them ! 

III. Parents should restrain their children 
from profane swearing. There is something, 
however, so unnatural, and impious, and dar- 
ing, in this vice, that children are not so apt to 
fall into it, as into some others ; and yet there 
are boys, and even little boys, whose mouths 
are full of cursing and bitterness! Young 
and tender, as they are, their unhallowed lips 
blaspheme their Maker, and pour out curses 
on all around. I have heard little children 
swearing in the streets; and I once knew a 
boy, not four years of age, who would swear 
most profanely, and curse his mother! His 
grandfather had taught him to do it — all in 
sport, it is true, but no less sinful on that ac- 
count. And, sad to tell, that same little boy 
was laid in his grave only a few months after ! 
And, not long since, riding in the stage with a 
very profane young man, "Sir," said he to me, 
" my father used to tell me to curse the horses 
when they would not do as I wished them." 
That any bearing the sacred name of parents 
should, by precept, teach their offspring the 
language of profaneness, is almost incredible; 
and yet such there are, Surely, parents of 
14* 



182 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



this kind are monsters in human shape, and 
must be considered as standing forth, fair can- 
didates for companionship with those foul 
spirits in the world of woe, who blaspheme 
the God of heaven, because of their pains, and 
repent not. We do hope that the number of 
this frightful stamp of character is small ; but 
we fear that there are, alas ! too many, who, if 
they do not teach profaneness by precept, do 
it by practice, and this is nearly the same ; for 
what is example, but a living or illustrated 
precept? O, venerated father! If you must 
swear, be entreated, don't do it in the presence 
of your dear little boy ! He thinks that you 
are the best man upon the face of the earth ; 
he thinks that whatever you do must be right. 
And shall his very respect for you be the occa- 
sion of his ruin? If you are about uttering 
an oath, if your boy be present, for the sake of 
that dear boy, if for no other reason, let that 
oath die unuttered upon your tongue. But 
there are some parents who will not teach their 
children to swear, either by precept or exam- 
ple, and who would by no means tolerate 
their swearing in their presence, whcf, never- 
theless, care very little what language their 
children use when not in their presence, and 
who, even if told that their children are pro- 
fane, take no notice of the matter. Such 
parents are not innocent. They stand guilty 



SECOND SERIES. 



163 



before God. Eli was, probably, not an eye- 
witness of his sons' immoralities ; but he was 
not ignorant of them; for, as we are informed, 
"he was told of all that his sons did, but he re- 
strained them not;" and hence the curse came. 
And, as we have seen, most terrible was the 
curse. Let all parents take warning! 

Profane swearing is, I am sorry to say it, a 
vice but too common in our land, and in our 
day. Go into any tavern or hotel ; travel in 
any stage, steamboat, or railroad-car, and if 
you do not hear the language of profaneness, 
you are more favoured than I have been. It 
is common, I believe, every where. In the 
city, in the country; on the land, and on the 
wave. And what is surprising, it is not con- 
fined to the lowest orders of society, but it is 
common even amongst those who are esteemed 
respectable and genteel. And, what is still 
more remarkable, even persons of literary taste 
are sometimes found profane. They will 
use phrases w 7 hich have no beauty, and 
which no grammarian on earth can parse; and 
these abominable phrases they will repeat 
more than one hundred times in a day! If 
this be not the bubbling up of sheer depravity, 
what is it? And, strange to say, some per- 
sons who hold to the doctrine of universal sal- 
vation, nevertheless, will say, over and over 
again, that they will be damned, and will even 



164 



EEVIVAL SERMONS. 



swear to it! This sin, my brethren, of profane 
swearing, I consider peculiarly impious and 
daring; for it is so expressly forbidden ; and, 
of all others, it has the least excuse, for it has 
no reward — no temptation. Does it add to a 
man's wealth? It does not Does it make 
him more happy ? It does not. Does it make 
him more influential or beloved ? It does not. 
Does it, in any manner, raise him in the esti- 
mation of others ? It does not. In the view 
of the wisest and the best, it lowers him ; it 
makes him vile; for it is well known that the 
most unprincipled and abandoned, the vilest of 
the vile, are usually the most profane. Who 
ever heard of a pirate that did not swear ? of a 
liar that did not swear ? of a gambler that did 
not swear? Now, if the most wicked and 
most vile are, of all others, the most profane, 
certainly, just so far as a man resembles them, 
he makes himself vile. Parents, remember 
this ! Can you be indifferent to a matter of 
this kind ? Religion apart, if you have a re- 
gard for your own standing, or the respectabil- 
ity of your children, do not lose sight of this 
matter, If your children are becoming pro- 
fane, they are becoming wicked and vile. Ah 
me ! when a child swears, methinks all heaven 
grieves! God Almighty frowns ! guardian an- 
gels blush! and the Recording Spirit sighs as 
he writes it down in the records of eternity ! 



SECOND SERIES. 



165 



What, then, must parents do in such a case? 
Do you ask? The case is clear : let them assert 
their authority; let them restrain those com- 
mitted to their charge. 

IV. Parents should, moreover, restrain their 
children from keeping bad company. The 
Bible says, and says correctly, "Evil commu- 
nications corrupt good manners:" and a cer- 
tain old writer makes this remark, quaint, but 
true: "They who go much into bad company, 
are like those who go much into the sun — they 
soon get tanned." Firm indeed must be that 
heart which can withstand continual tempta- 
tions; and strong those principles which can 
resist perpetual assaults — " attrition wears the 
solid rock." Even men, ripe in age and expe- 
rience, have been seriously injured by too 
intimately associating with improper charac- 
ters ; and what then can be expected from an 
inexperienced youth, or a tender child ? Solo- 
mon knew well the danger of such associations, 
and therefore said, " My son, if sinners entice 
thee, consent thou not: walk not thou in the 
way with them; refrain thy feet from their 
path." That is, have nothing to do with them, 
It is better for a son or daughter to have no 
companions at all, than those who are vile and 
corrupting. Many an interesting young man, 
who once bid fair to be a comfort to his parents, 
and a useful and ornamental member of socie- 



166 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ty, has been ruined by vile associates, and bad 
companions. Am I wrong? Perhaps some, 
even now present, are ready to say, " Sir, I 
had well nigh been ruined in this way. My 
feet were al most gone ; my steps had well nigh 
slipped! O, if it had not been for that sudden 
death, or that alarming providence, or that sore 
affliction, or that pious letter, or that awaken- 
ing sermon, or that faithful friend, I would 
have been ruined by my evil associates! 
Blessed be God, who has not given over my 
soul as a prey to destruction! My soul is 
delivered as a bird out of the snare of the 
fowler; the snare is broken, and I am escaped !" 
Parents, think well upon this subject ! Guard 
the morals of your children; select their com- 
panions; see to it, that these companions be 
the gentle and the good, and not the vicious 
and the vile. If they prefer the latter, talk 
kindly to them, reason the matter well ; but, 
if they persist, remember the case of Eli, and 
restrain them ! 

V. Parents should restrain their children 
from the sin of Sabbath-breaking. The fourth 
commandment, which says, " Remember the 
Sabbath day to keep it holy," is one of the most 
important in the whole decalogue; and I fully 
accord with the sentiment expressed in these 
words, " No Sabbath, no religion." The Sab- 
bath, like the rite of marriage, was an institu- 



SECOND SERIES. 



107 



tion of paradise. And most truly did our 
Saviour say, " The Sabbath was made for 
man"- — designed to be a blessing to the human 
race — a benefit to man's physical and moral 
nature, as well as a blessing to him in a spirit- 
ual point of view. Relax the obligations of 
the Sabbath, and you open the floodgates of 
vice ; abolish the Sabbath, and you ruin the 
world ! See France, when the Sabbath was 
abolished ! — then began " the reign of terror." 
Sir Matthew Hale states, that nearly all of 
those upon whom he was called to pass sen- 
tence of death, confessed that their course of 
depravity and crime commenced in breaking 
the holy Sabbath! and of twelve hundred and 
thirty-two convicts in the State prison of New 
York, it seems, that only twenty-six had been 
taught to reverence that sacred day! These 
things speak volumes. Parents! teach your 
children, both by precept and example, to re- 
member the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 
Permit them not to wander about, as little 
Arabs, on that holy day; permit them not to 
engage in their usual sports and pastimes; 
send them to the Sabbath-school ; place in their 
hands interesting books suited to the day; teach 
them their catechisms; tell them " Bible sto- 
ries;" talk to them about Joseph, about Sam- 
uel, about Daniel, and the three children ; talk 



168 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



to them about the blessed Saviour, and the 
martyrs ; about heaven, and certain good chil- 
dren who have gone to that happy world ; fur- 
nish yourself with matter ; lay yourself out to 
give Sabbath day instruction ; let every thing 
be pleasant and inviting ; let the Lord's day, 
so to speak, be wreathed with flowers ; let it be 
made to your children a delight, the " sweetest of 
all the seven." If, however, your children are 
disposed to wander about on the Sabbath, and 
get into improper company, and engage in im- 
proper sports, remember the case of Abraham, 
who maintained his authority, and the case of 
Eli, who did not ; remember the blessing which 
came upon the one, and the curse which came 
upon the other, and neglect not parental duty ! 

I might also say something on the subject 
of frequenting taverns, using ardent spirits, 
attending horse-races, and theatres, and danc- 
ing parties; and also about novel-reading, and 
many other things, but the time would fail. 
Permit me to say, that parents should, as far as 
possible, restrain their children from every 
thing calculated to have a corrupting or evil 
influence upon them, in any way ; for, is not 
the parent the Heaven-appointed guardian of 
the child? and if the parent does not watch 
over the morals of the child, who will? But 
this suggests the propriety of adding a few 



SECOND SERIES. 



1G9 



remarks, by way of stirring up parents to a 
more faithful and diligent discharge of the 
important duties which devolve upon them. 

1. Parents, remember, your children are 
jewels — living jewels! They bear the stamp 
of immortality. They will outlive the splen- 
dours of the sun, and all the stars which deco- 
rate the broad arch of heaven ! They must 
live for ever; and that either in happiness or 
111 misery — either as angels of light, or spirits 
damned ! and to you, more than to any other 
persons in the world, is committed the power 
and the duty of forming the character of the 
child. And hence, to the parent it is said, 
" Train up a child in the way he should go, 
and when he is old he will not depart from it." 
You are the pilot that must direct the course ; 
you are the guide that must mark out the 
right path. Early impressions, we all know, 
are the most enduring ; and, in the providence 
of God, it is so arranged, that whether you de- 
sire it or not, the earliest impressions are 
received from you. O the immense responsi- 
bility of the parent ! It is enough to make 
the best man tremble ! — at any rate, it is 
enough to drive every parent to the throne of 
the heavenly grace, to seek wisdom there. 
And O how unhappy, how pitiable is the case 
of those children whose parents, so far from 
restraining them from wicked ways, do not 
15 



170 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



restrain themselves ! It is the duty of all pa- 
rents to " allure to brighter worlds, and lead 
the way." But when the influence of the 
parent is the reverse of this, surely it is enough 
to make angels weep. Many children who 
were blessed with good and pious parents, 
will, we verily believe, rise up and call their 
parents blessed, in the resurrection morn. O 
ye parents, who neglect parental duty, what 
will your children say of you in the great 
judgment-day? But this leads to another re- 
mark. 

2. Parents ! are you aware of your responsi- 
bility? Have you ever seriously thought how 
much depends upon you? Have you dis- 
charged your duty to your children? Have 
you done your best to form their manners, and 
to give their characters a noble and heavenly 
stamp? Have you done what you could to 
make them virtuous in life, happy in death, 
and happy for ever ? If your son is profligate, 
have you nothing to reproach yourself with ? 
Suppose you were now upon a dying bed, 
would you have the consolation of believing 
that you had done every thing you could do 
to promote the best interests of your children 
for time and for eternity? Eli's sons were cut 
down in the midst of their sins; and you 
know how melancholy was his own end. 
Should your children, or any one of them, be 



SECOND SERIES. 



171 



taken away unprepared, would there be no 
remorse waked up in your bosom ? Are you 
quite sure that there would be no occasion for 
any thing like self-reproach ? In a meeting 
for serious inquirers, held in a certain place, 
there was one under most pungent conviction. 
He was overwhelmed ; he was almost con- 
vulsed with agony ! He was a father, who 
had just come from the grave of his son, a 
young man, who had died, it seems, without 
hope. The unhappy old man then remember- 
ed his fault, his dreadful guilt, in neglecting 
parental duty. He had neither by precept nor 
example been a blessing to his son — and now 
that son was gone for ever! O ye parents, 
who have not been faithful to your trust, could 
you have seen this unhappy father weeping 
bitterly over his neglect of parental duty, me- 
thinks it would have had the power of a thou- 
sand arguments to rouse you to the importance 
of attending, with all diligence and fidelity, to 
those immortal ones whom Heaven has com- 
mitted to your charge! 

3. One remark more, and I have done. 
Parents, your own happiness is concerned in 
this matter! "A wise son," says Solomon, 
" maketh a glad father ; but a foolish son is 
the heaviness of his mother." It is a remark- 
ble fact, that children who are properly con- 
trolled in early life, retain a respect and affec- 



172 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



tion for their parents as long as they live ; but 
those who have been foolishly indulged, and 
permitted in every thing to have their own 
way; those, in other words, whose training 
has been neglected, and who have not in early 
life been brought under proper control ; those, 
I have noticed, are wont to be very deficient 
both in respect and affection. I have seen 
cases of this kind, so marked, that it seemed as 
if the judgments of heaven had commenced 
falling upon unfaithful parents, even in this 
life ; and the words of our text seemed to tin- 
gle upon the ear: " I have told him that I will 
judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which 
he knoweth, because his sons made themselves 
vile, and he restrained them not." Parents, 
do your duty in the fear of God, and your 
children will be a comfort to you. O how happy 
the parent whose children turn out well ! The 
mother's heart thrills with joy whilst, like the 
mother of the Gracchii, she pronounces them 
her jewels; and the fond father, too, with a 
glad heart, delights to call them his, whilst he 
realizes the blessedness of that man, whose 
" wife is as a fruitful vine by the side of his 
house, and his children like olive plants round 
about his table." God bless every parent here ! 
and may none have the weakness, nor share 
the sorrows of the unhappy Eli ! 



SECOND SERIES. 



173 



SERMON VII . 

PROVE YOUR OWN WORK. 

But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in him- 
self alone, and not in another. — Galatiass vi. 4. 

In these words we have an important precept, 
enforced by a very powerful consideration. 
The precept is expressed in these words: " Let 
every man prove his own work." By a man's 
own work, we are to understand, not merely 
his actions, and general conduct, but his 
thoughts, his motives, his sentiments, and 
every thing, indeed, which has an influence on 
the forming of his moral and religious charac- 
ter. These things he is to prove: that is, to 
test ; to see if they are of the right stamp ; to 
see if they w T ill answer in a dying hour; to 
see if they will stand the scrutiny of the last 
great day. 

At first view, we see that the precept is 
an important one. But this is not enough. 
It is exceedingly important. To prove this, 
permit me to remark — First: Self-deception 
is very common, and this arises from several 
sources. In the first place, the springs of 
action lie very deep. A man may suppose 
himself to be influenced by one set of mo- 
tives, when, really, he is influenced by an- 
other set of motives, altogether! This rich 
15* 



174 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



man, for example, gives himself great credit 
for his numerous and splendid charities. He 
really thinks they flow from motives of pure 
benevolence, when, perchance, if traced to 
their source, it will be found that these acts of 
charity originate in secret vanity, or a love of 
human applause. See that youthful soldier! 
At the call of his country, he buckles on his 
armour, faces the wintry blast, and rushes 
through clouds of dust, and seas of blood ! He 
firmly believes that he is a patriot, when, 
really, true patriotism, it may be, has very lit- 
tle to do in this matter. Ambition is the 
ruling passion in his bosom ! He pants for 
distinction ! He longs to twine the laurels of 
fame around his brow! " Come and see my 
zeal for the Lord of Hosts," said Jehu, when 
he was cutting down the enemies of the Lord. 
What made him so zealous on this occasion? 
It so happened, that in cutting down the ene- 
mies of the Lord, he was establishing his own 
dynasty ! Ah ! my brethren, the heart is de- 
ceitful above all things; and the springs of 
action lie very deep. This is one great source 
of self-deception. Another is this — the power 
of self-love. Charity, or love, the Scriptures 
tell us, covereth a multitude of sins : that is, 
hides them from the view. See that over-fond 
and doating mother!- — (Mistake me not — if 
there is a class of persons upon earth for whom 



SECOND SERIES. 



175 



I have a peculiarly profound respect, it is for 
mothers; and I can with all my heart say, 
Heaven bless mothers, all the world over ! 
but I have reference now to a certain descrip- 
tion of mothers, concerning whom it may be 
said, alas! that there are such!) — See that 
doating mother, I say — she has one only child 
— one darling boy. She thinks that he is 
the perfection of all excellence — the best child 
in all the land — and she is telling its smart 
sayings, and speaking its praises to every 
neighbour that steps in. She thinks, she 
really believes this child to be the best in all 
the land. Every body else sees plainly that it 
is a spoiled piece ! — Why ? It will disobey its 
mother; it is peevish, and fretful; is rude even 
in the presence of company. It is positively a 
bad child ; and yet the mother thinks that it is 
wonderfully smart and good — none like it in 
all the town ! How are we to account for this? 
Charity covers a multitude of sins. The mo- 
ther's overweening fondness for her child hides 
from her view all its faults, and therefore she 
comes to a wrong conclusion concerning the 
true chraacter of that child. Just so in the case 
before us. Loving ourselves, as we are too apt 
to do, with an inordinate love, we are wont to 
look more frequently upon the bright, than the 
dark side of our character. This being the 
case, what are we to expect, but that w r e shall 



176 



REVIVAL SERMONS, 



think more highly of ourselves than we ought 
to think ? The power of self-love ! Yes, this 
has deceived many. 

There are other sources of self-deception ; but 
I proceed to make a second remark, which is 
this :— Self-deception is very dangerous. It 
serves to keep a person quiet, when, if he were 
only aware of his true character and condition, 
he would be in a state of great alarm and anxie- 
ty. If I have taken up the idea that I am no 
sinner, what motive have I to repent? If I 
have come to the conclusion that I am on the 
safe side, why should I desire to change sides? 
If I lay to my soul the flattering unction that I 
have a very good heart, why should I pray 
that God would give me a new heart? Thus, 
we see the evil and danger of self-deception ; 
keeping us quiet at the very moment when, 
perhaps, we have reason to cry out, with the 
Philippian jailor, "O sirs! what must I do to 
be saved?" But this is not all. Self-decep- 
tion leads to the ruin of many. What says 
the Saviour? — Many shall come unto me in 
that day, and say, Lord ! Lord ! and I will pro- 
fess unto them — Depart ! I never knew you ! 
Who are these ? Miserable self-deceivers, who, 
neglecting to prove their own work, knew no- 
thing of their true condition until the light of 
eternity broke the power of all delusion ! O, 
how awful, for a person to go down to the grave 



SECOND SERIES. 



177 



with "a lie in his right hand!" and what 
time he smiles of angels, and the plaudits 
of the blessed Redeemer, to hear the thunders 
of wrath, and the wailings of the lost ! And 
yet we have too much reason to fear that this 
will be the case with many. I think I can 
mention the case of one, at least, who evident- 
ly left the world under the power of self-decep- 
tion — Jean Jacques Rousseau. When near his 
end, he had no anxiety in relation to his future 
state, but turning to one, (I think not his wife,) 
remarked: " My dear, how happy for one to 
die who has nothing to reproach himself with ! 
I will go to the bar, and say, 1 Great God, here 
is Jean Jacques Rousseau ! and a better man 
never lived!'" — Now, did not this very man 
write two octavo volumes, (his own life,) in 
which he confesses that he did many things 
most shameful, and which I would not men- 
tion, lest the very mention thereof should crim- 
son the cheek of modesty? Yet, forgetting all 
these things, he bases all his hopes of heaven 
upon the purity of his moral character ! Most 
assuredly he was a miserable self-deceiver! 
He had not proved his own work, and, so far as 
we can see, it proved the ruin of his soul. But 
I can mention another case, more startling still. 
I knew a female who died shouting; and yet 
there was awful reason to fear that she never 
entered the heavenly world. I will state the 



178 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



case, and you can form your own conclusion. 
She had neglected the care of her soul, it 
seems, all her life long; when near her end, 
mark ! without any conviction of sin, (so far as 
I could perceive) or need of a Saviour, she got 
her imagination wrought upon about " the 
golden streets of the new Jerusalem;" and 
whilst this brilliant image was before her mind 
she was thrown into a rapture, and left the 
world in w T hat was called great triumph ! 
Surely this must have been a case of self-de- 
ception ; for how can a person be a penitent 
without having some conviction of sin? or how 
can a person embrace a Saviour without feel- 
ing any need of him? Ah! surely, it was 
Apollyon, coming up out of the smoke of To- 
phet, and say ing, Peace ! peace ! when there is 
no peace. Hush ! hush ! when death and de- 
struction are just at the door! "No marvel," 
says Peter, " for Satan himself is transformed 
into an angel of light." O, how important, 
when such mighty interests are at stake, to dig 
deep, and lay a good foundation! In other 
words, how important, how exceedingly impor- 
tant it is for every man to prove his own work ! 

There is no such thing as rectifying mistakes 
in eternity. When death's leaden sceptre is 
laid upon the cold bosom, the decree of an im- 
mutable God rolls over the shrouded form— 
" He that is filthy, let him be filthy still ! and 



SECOND SERIES. 



179 



he that is righteous, let him be righteous still!" 
In view of these things I now ask. Is not the 
precept in our text one of exceeding great im- 
portance? If I mistake not, the best in this 
assembly are ready promptly to exclaim, " It 
is ! It is !" — for I have noticed that those whose 
piety is the least questionable, are the very 
ones who are most disposed to exercise a godly 
jealousy over their own hearts; knowing that, 
of a truth, the human heart by nature "is 
deceitful above all things, and desperately 
wicked." But, deceitful as the heart of man 
unquestionably is, there is nevertheless, such a 
things as knowing our true state and condition. 
Yes, there is such a thing as being able to say 
with the man of Uz, "I know that my Re- 
deemer liveth" — and with the apostle Paul, 
" We know, that if the earthly house of this 
our tabernacle were dissolved, we have a build- 
ing of God, a house not made with hands, eter- 
nal in the heavens." Certainly, every man 
may prove his own work — may test his own 
character, or we should not find recorded the 
precept in our text. Aye, and I will go fur- 
ther, and say, if we are truly converted, we 
must have scriptural evidence of it, and that 
too — mark! whether we have lights, or sha- 
dows — joy or sorrow! Do you doubt this? 
See that dear little girl ! she loves her mother ; 
she follows her mother, as if she were her 



180 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



shadow. She cannot be happy when her mo- 
ther is gone. See her now, almost dancing 
for joy, whilst standing near her mother's lap. 
How her eyes sparkle ! Her face is dressed in 
smiles! "What makes you so happy, little 
child?" " O," says she, "Mother loves me; 
she talks so good to me !"— You don't question 
her love for her mother. Change the case : 
That little daughter has done something to dis- 
please its mother. Its mother is displeased, 
and looks sad. " Ma, what is the matter?" 
says the child. "Why, my daughter," re- 
plies the mother, " you have been a naughty 
child, and your mother can't love you until 
you are sorry for what you have done." See 
the little creature! she bursts into a flood of 
tears, and rushing into another room, she cries, 
fit to break her little heart! Some one comes 
by and says, " Are you sick?" She is not dis- 
posed to talk. Another asks, "What is the 
matter, my little dear? What makes you cry 
so?" "O !" exclaims she, " Mother don't love 
me! Mother don't love me!" — Now, I ask, 
does not this child give as convincing proof of 
real affection for her mother, as when she was 
dancing around her mother's lap, because her 
mother was smiling upon her? As this child, 
then, has a way of making known her affection 
for her mother, whether her mother smile or 
frown, even so, piety has a way of making it- 



SE COND SERIES. 



181 



self known, whether there be lights or shadows, 
joy or sorrow. Take the case of Job, for ex- 
ample. On one occasion the candle of the 
Lord shines upon him, and in the joy and ex- 
ultation of his soul he exclaims, " I know that 
my Redeemer liveth!" At another time he is 
under a cloud ; and w r hat is his language now? 
" O, that I knew w 7 here I might find him ! — 
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." 
Is not his piety just as evident in the latter as 
in the former case ? 

Take another example : — The Psalmist, in a 
moment when every thing is bright and clear, 
uses this language of confidence and triumph: 
" Thou shalt guide me with thy counsels, and 
afterwards receive me to glory." You have 
no doubt of his piety now. But a cloud has 
passed over the Psalmist ; he is in great dark- 
ness; — mark his language now! "Will the 
Lord cast off forever? will he be favourable 
no more? — Why art thou cast down, O my 
soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? 
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him." 
Surely nothing can be more evidential of true 
piety than this. These things being so, I take 
this position, that if a person is truly converted 
— truly a child of God, he must and will have 
scriptural evidence of it, whether he have 
lights or shadows, whether he have joy or sor- 
row. Hence, the precept in our text is appii- 
16 



182 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



cable to all, and in all circumstances — "Let 
every man prove his own work." And now, 
my brethren, if you wish to deal faithfully with 
your own souls; if you desire to know your 
true character and condition; in other words, 
if you wish to make sure work for eternity, 
there are three things which you must do : — 
You must consider, you must examine, and 
you must compare. 

1. You must consider.- — " Thus saith the 
Lord of Hosts, consider your ways." There 
are many persons who do not, will not spend 
one single thought upon the subject of their 
soul's salvation ! They can think about their 
riches, their honours, their pleasures ; they can 
think about this and that scheme of gain and 
aggrandizement; indeed, they can think about 
any thing and every thing, except that which 
should engage their earliest and most serious 
attention— the salvation of their undying souls ! 
Such persons may be said to live a dreaming 
life ; and no wonder if such palm a fatal de- 
ception upon themselves, and go down to the 
grave with a "lie in their right hand." 

My brethren, you must think about your 
spiritual state ; you must frequently ask, what 
are your hopes for eternity ? This is neces- 
sary to rouse the soul to life and activity. It 
is requisite as a preparation for something 
more. I hold ? that the mind ? to be excited^ 



SECOND SERIES. 



183 



must have the exciting object before it. How 
can beauty charm, if it be not looked upon? 
How can music please, if it be not attended 
to ? How can there be the feeling of an ob- 
ject, when there is no contact? Ordinarily, 
the mind operates through its appropriate or- 
gan. If it wants to see, it directs the eye ; if 
it wants to hear, it turns the ear ; if it wants 
to feel, it extends the hand. Even so, the un- 
derstanding is the eye of the mind ; and, in 
order that the mind should be duly roused, the 
exciting object should be brought before the 
understanding, the eye of the mind, and then 
there is a setting in motion the will, the affec- 
tions, and all the powers of the soul. Do I 
deny the doctrine of Divine influences? God 
forbid ! It forms an essential part of the 
"faith once delivered to the saints but the 
Spirit operates in accordance with the moral 
and physical nature of man. How was the 
Psalmist converted? By the Spirit of God, 
unquestionably. But the manner, the mode, 
the way and means? By serious thought. 
Hear what he says— " I thought upon my 
ways, and turned my feet to thy testimonies." 
He was once an impenitent sinner, careless 
and secure in his sins. He was going to an 
eternal world under the power of an awful 
deception. But his character is changed. 
Mark the process ! — "I thought upon my 



184 



11 E V I V A L SERMONS, 



ways." He first began to inquire whether he 
was living as he ought to live ; whether he was 
walking in the right path — the path to heaven? 
Under the operation of serious thought, he 
was led to see that all was not right ; that he 
was in a dangerous way ; that he was not go- 
ing to heaven, but to hell ! What was the 
consequence? There was an end to his car- 
nal security. Anxiety was waked up in his 
bosom, and a determination to act: "I turned 
my feet to thy testimonies." Aye, and there 
was promptness of action : " I made haste to 
keep thy commandments." Peter denied his 
Master, and for a season was quiet, and with- 
out any self-reproach. But we are told that 
" when he thought thereon, he wept." When 
Hazael came to the prophet, the man of God, it 
is said, fixed his eyes upon him, until he (the 
man of God) wept. The future crimes of 
Hazael were brought before the prophetic eye 
of the prophet, and his very soul was moved 
within him. The man of God could not re- 
strain his tears — he wept. In the first chapter 
of Isaiah, God brings this charge against the 
children of Israel — "I have nourished and 
brought up children, and they have rebelled 
against me :— The ox knoweth his owner, and 
the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not 
know." And why? The answer is given — 
" My people doth not consider." Thus it ap- 



SECOND SERIES. 



185 



pears that there is much power in serious 
thought. If, then, a man would thoroughly 
prove his own work, he must, as a preliminary 
step, consider his ways — his moral conduct, 
his present state, his future prospects. He 
must seriously consider whither he is going, 
and whether the way in which he is now go- 
ing will land him in happiness, or in misery ; 
in heaven or in hell. But, 

2. You must examine. — Serious considera- 
tion is not enough. There must, also, be a 
close and prayerful examination. If a mer- 
chant wishes to know precisely how he stands, 
he must not only think about his affairs, but 
he must also enter upon the work of careful 
examination. He must turn over the leaves of 
his day-book and ledger; he must take an in- 
ventory of his goods; he must look into his 
strong box and drawer ; he must find out what 
he owes to others, and what others owe to him. 
Then, and not until then, can he know pre- 
cisely how his business and pecuniary matters 
stand. Just so in relation to the case in hand. 
If a man desires to know his true state and 
condition, he must go beyond the matter of 
serious thought. He must enter, in good ear- 
nest, upon the work of self-examination. In 
the light of divine truth, he must examine, 
not merely his outward conduct and actions, 
but also, the state of his heart and affections. 
16* 



186 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



He must examine his thoughts; for as a man 
thinketh in his heart, so is he. He must exam- 
ine his motives, and his sentiments, and, in 
short, every thing which exerts an influence 
in the formation of his moral and religious 
character. With regard to a man's motive — 
this is an important matter; for oftentimes the 
motive stamps the character of the action. 
Should a person do you a kindness, you would 
be thankful; but suppose it should be ascer- 
tained that, in doing you this kindness, he 
never intended it, but, contrarywise, intended 
to do you a serious and lasting injury ; when 
aware of his motive, there will be, if I mistake 
not, a very great abatement in your sense of 
obligation to him. Now, if motive is some- 
thing with man, who looks upon the outward 
appearance, shall it not be something with 
God, who looketh upon the heart? Yes, mo- 
tive is something : and many an action which 
appears fair and commendable in the eyes of 
men, is naught — of no value, and even odious 
in the sight of God, being vitiated by the mo- 
tive. If, for example, we perform an action, 
good in itself, but perform it simply to please 
ourselves, or to gain human applause, without 
any promptings of a desire to honour or please 
God, certainly, there is no real virtue in this. 
Hence the apostle says: " Whether, therefore, 
ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to 



SECOND SERIES. 



187 



the glory of God." O how does this principle 
wither many things, fair and beautiful in the 
eyes of men ! How it reduces to dust and 
ashes many things deemed vastly meritori- 
ous, and even deserving of heaven ! Examine 
your motives, then. Are they pure? Are 
they such as God will approve of? Again, 
you must examine your sentiments. Do they 
square with God's blessed word? "No matter 
what a man's sentiments are," says one, "if 
his actions are right." Is this correct ? Then 
the believer and the unbeliever may be put 
upon the same level ; and our Saviour uttered 
strange language when he said — " He that be- 
lieveth on the Son, is not condemned ; but he 
that believeth not, is condemned already, be- 
cause he hath not believed in the name of the 
only begotten Son of God." No matter what 
a man believes ! — let us try the principle. Here 
are two persons who, outwardly, treat you in 
a manner equally respectful, but their opinions 
of you are widely different. One believes you 
to be a good man ; the other believes you to be 
corrupt. Is sentiment nothing here? Senti- 
ment is something; and, in relation to reli- 
gious matters, the Bible is the great standard 
of correct sentiment : 

"The judge which ends the strife, 
Where wit and reason fail." 



188 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Now, there are persons who, because they 
are not profligate or profane, because they are 
moral men, in the common acceptation of the 
term, think that they are in a safe state — that 
they have no need of conversion, and that, be- 
cause they have been men of fair moral cha- 
racter, they are fair candidates for heaven — 
aye, think that they certainly will be saved ! 
Has such a man proved his own work? Does 
this sentiment of his fall in with the declara- 
tions of the sacred volume? Does it fall in 
with the scriptural saying, " Indignation and 
wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every 
soul of man that sinneth"? Or with this — 
" Cursed is every one that continueth not in all 
things written in the book of the law to do 
them"? Or with this — " Except ye repent, 
ye shall all likewise perish"? Or with this — 
" Other foundation can no man lay than is laid, 
which is Jesus Christ"? Or with this — " Ex- 
cept a man be born again, he cannot see the 
kingdom of God"? My hearers, take care! 
Palm no deception upon yourselves. Remem- 
ber, all the declarations of this volume are true, 
divinely true, and must stand for ever, as it is 
written, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled 
in heaven." Beware how you trust to your 
own sentiments when they are not in accord- 
ance with the word of God. Most assuredly 
it will bring perdition upon your soul ! O, be 



SECOND SERIES. 



189 



entreated to bring your sentiments to this great 
test of truth, the Bible ! Let every man dig 
deep, and lay a good foundation. "Let every 
man prove his own work." 

3. You must compare. — Some persons are 
ready enough in their comparisons, but they 
happen not to be of the right kind! Some 
compare themselves with certain professors of 
religion; and, because they are better, (as they 
suppose,) than those professors of religion, 
w T hom they are wont to call "hypocrites," they 
fancy that they are very good. But may not 
a man be better than a " hypocrite," and not be 
a very good man after all? Some compare 
themselves with the majority of mankind ; and 
because they, as they think, are better than 
the majority of mankind, conclude that they 
are in a safe state; but would not this have 
been a very unsafe test in the days of Noah? 
and how know they but it may be an unsafe 
test at the present time? These comparisons 
are not of the right kind. Permit me to show 
you "a more excellent way." 

First: You must compare yourselves with 
the characters pronounced blessed by the Sa- 
viour, in his sermon upon the mount. Take 
this example : " Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Has 
your pride been humbled ? Are you sensible 
of your emptiness and poverty, and do you feel 



190 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



your need of a better righteousness than your 
own? " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for 
theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Again: 
" Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall 
be comforted." Do you mourn after a godly 
sort? Do you mourn that you have sinned 
against a good and gracious God ? and do you 
mourn after your own hard heart? "Blessed 
are they that mourn, for they shall be com- 
forted." "Weeping may endure for a night, 
but joy cometh in the morning." But take 
another example: "Blessed are the meek." 
Have you the meekness and gentleness of 
Christ? Can you bear injuries? Can you 
forgive your enemies? Has there been, in 
such matters, a radical change in the temper 
and disposition of your soul ? Has the lion in 
you been converted into a lamb ? the vulture 
into a dove? "Blessed are the meek." Once 
more : " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst 
after righteousness, for they shall be filled." 
Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? 
Do you breathe after holiness? Do you sin- 
cerely and earnestly desire to be delivered from 
the least and last remains of sin ? Is there a 
peculiar sweetness and charm in heaven as a 
place of perfect moral purity ? where you shall 
not have one wicked thought, nor one unhal- 
lowed feeling, nor one improper desire, nor 
utter one sinful word, through all eternity? 



SECOND S ERIE S. 



191 



Can you enter fully into the feelings of the 
poet, when he says, 

" 0, glorious hour ! 0, blest abode ! 
I shall be near arid like my God; 
And flesh and sin no more control 
The sacred pleasures of the soul." 

And are these lines delightful and refreshing 
to your heart? 

" There shall we see his face. 
And never, never sin; 
There from the rivers of his grace 
Drink endless pleasures in." 

If these beatitudes suit you, then doubtless 
you are the children of God. The Saviour 
does not mention names ; he does what is 
much better, he describes characters, and with 
these characters he connects the blessing. If, 
then, the character is yours, the blessing, of 
course, is yours also. But 

Secondly : You are to compare yourselves 
with those known to have been truly pious. 
Here is a principle, or matter of fact, which 
must never be forgotten — that true piety is sub- 
stantially the same in every age, and in every 
bosom. As face answers to face in water, so 
does the heart of man to man. In all great 
points, in all essential matters, the experience 
of one pious soul is substantially the experience 
of another. Bring in the rich man and the 



192 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



poor man, the learned and the unlearned, the 
stripling and the man of age; bring in the 
Methodist, and the Presbyterian, the Baptist, 
and the Episcopalian: in short, bring in per- 
sons representing the different ranks and class- 
es of society, and the different denominations, 
too ; and, I may add, let them come from the 
different quarters of the globe; let each be 
soundly converted; let them have one common 
language, and let them converse freely on the 
subject of Christian experience, and it will be 
found, that in all leading matters of experimen- 
tal religion, there is scarcely a shade of differ- 
ence between them ! Yes, they are all brought 
into the same school ; they all have the same 
teacher; they all learn the same lessons — so 
teaches the Bible, as it is written in Isaiah 
liv. 13: "All thy children shall be taught of 
the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy 
children.'' It is true, some are, so to speak, 
more apt scholars — -are better taught than 
others — but, I repeat it, all are brought into the 
same school; all have the same teacher; and 
all learn the same lessons ! These things be- 
ing so, if we would prove our own work ; if we 
would desire to know whether we have the 
root of the matter in us : in other words, if we 
wish to know whether we are really the chil- 
dren of God or not, we must, as we have said, 
compare ourselves with those known to be the 



SECOND SERIES. 



193 



children of God. To illustrate what I mean, I 
will suppose that you are anxious about your 
soul ; you have had some mental distress, and 
some comfort, but your evidence of being a 
child of God is not clear; you wish to prove 
your own work, or religious character. This 
being the case, I will place you in certain cir- 
cumstances, in which you are to compare 
yourselves with those known to be pious, in 
similar circumstances, and if there be an agree- 
ment, if they have true piety, so have you ! 

First — I will suppose that you are in circum- 
stances of deep affliction. Was not Job a child 
of God ? and was he not deeply afflicted ? And 
now, what was his spirit ? what the exercises 
of his mind ? what the breathings of his soul ? 
They are recorded, and distinctly marked. 
Observe — when one wave of affliction after 
another had passed over him, and he was ready 
to sink in deep waters, one said unto him, 
"Curse God and die." And what said he? — 
"Have we received good at the hand of the 
Lord, and shall we not receive evil? The 
Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, and 
blessed be the name of the Lord. Though he 
slay me, yet will I trust in him." Is this your 
spirit? Can you truly adopt this language? 
Then, if Job was pious, so are you ; if eternal 
life be his rew r ard, you shall possess the same ; 
17 



194 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



for piety is the same in every age, and in every 
bosom. 

Again : I will suppose that you are thinking 
upon the words of the Saviour: " Except ye 
repent, ye shall all likewise perish." You 
have had some sorrow of heart on account of 
your sins; you have shed some tears, you have 
heaved some sighs, but you are not entirely 
satisfied that you are a true penitent — do you 
ask what is to be done? I answer — find out 
some one known to have been a true penitent; 
find out what were the exercises of his mind ; 
compare yours with his, and if they correspond, 
then, if he was a penitent, so are you. David 
was certainly a true penitent ; but where shall 
we find the penitential exercises of the Psalmist 
recorded? In the fifty-first Psalm. Let us 
turn to that Psalm, and from the language of 
his lips, we may learn the breathings of his 
soul. What are his words? "Have mercy 
upon me, O God, according to thy loving kind- 
ness : according unto the multitude of thy tender 
mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me 
thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me 
from my sin. For I acknowledge my trans- 
gressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against 
thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this 
evil in thy sight : that thou mightest be justi- 
fied when thou speakest, and be clear when 
thou judgest. — Create within me a clean heart, 



SECOND SERIES. 195 

O God, and renew within me a right spirit. 
Cast me not away from thy presence, and take 
not thine Holy Spirit from me." Now, say, 
you read the whole Psalm ; you here recog- 
nize, substantially, the exercises of your own 
mind. You are astonished that one who lived 
under another dispensation, and at a period so 
remote, should have had thoughts and feelings, 
emotions and desires, so exactly corresponding 
with your own ! Is this so ? Then the case is 
clear: if David was a penitent, so are you; 
if eternal life be his reward, you shall possess 
the same; for " piety is the same in every age, 
and in every bosom." " Let every man prove 
his own work." 

Again : Touching the matter of faith — I will 
suppose that you have been meditating upon 
these words: " Believe in the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and thou shalt be saved." You have 
some hope that you do exercise faith in Christ, 
but you have heard so much about historical 
faith, and speculative faith, and saving faith, 
and living faith, and dead faith, you are bewil- 
dered; you know not whether you have the 
right kind of faith — that which really and 
truly unites the soul to Christ, and which has 
the promise of life everlasting. Do you again 
ask what is to be done? I answer, as in the 
former case : find one known to have been 
a true believer ; find out what his views and 



196 REVIVAL SERMONS, 

feelings were, in relation to our blessed Saviour^ 
and if yours correspond with his, then may it 
be known to you whether you are a true be- 
liever or not. But where shall we find one 
known to have been a true believer? Peter 
was one. Did he ever express his views and 
feelings in relation to Christ? He did, and on 
a very important occasion. Our Saviour had 
taught certain things which gave offence ; and 
as we are told, many of his disciples went 
back, and walked no more with him. And 
Jesus turned to the twelve and said, " Will ye 
also go away?" And Peter said, "Lord, to 
whom shall we go but unto thee? for thou 
hast the words of eternal life." As if he had 
said: Lord Jesus! thou art our only hope — 
I for one must cling to thee! I am a poor, 
lost sinner, I cannot save myself. Thou art 
my only, only hope ! Is this your language ? 
Is this the very feeling of your soul ? Then 
your case is clear. If Peter was a believer, so 
are you ! If eternal life be his reward, you 
shall possess the same ; for piety is the same, 
in every age, and in every bosom. "Let every 
man prove his own work." 

Again : We will suppose that you are think- 
ing on the subject of the Divine government. 
You wish to know whether your views and 
feelings in relation to this matter are of the 
right kind ; whether they are such as indicate 



SECOND SERIES. 



197 



true piety. What is to be done ? Adopt the 
same plan already suggested. Find one known 
to have true piety ; find out the breathings of 
his heart on this subject; compare yours with 
his, and then you may know whether you be- 
long to the number of the people of God, or not. 
Take the case of Isaiah. No man questions 
his piety. What does he say ? " Say unto 
Zion, thy God reigneth." This is the language 
of joy and gratulation — the language of one 
pleased with the thought that God is upon the 
throne, and who wishes the tidings thereof to 
be carried, to be spread on every hand. David 
w r as also a child of God, and what does he say ? 
" The Lord reigneth ! let the earth rejoice ! 
The Lord reigneth, let the multitude of the 
isles be glad thereof." And again : " The 
Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O 
Zion, unto all generations: Praise ye the 
Lord!" 

But there is a case, if possible, more in 
point still. It is that of those who are actually 
around the throne in heaven. " And a voice 
came out of the throne, saying, Praise our 
God, all ye his servants, and all ye that fear 
him, both small and great. And I heard," says 
John, "as it were, the voice of a great multi- 
tude, and as the voice of many waters, and 
as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, 
Alleluia ! for the Lord God omipotent reign- 
17* 



198 



REVIVAL SERMONS, 



eth !" Rev. xix. 6. Now, is all this in harmony 
with your feelings and desires ? Do you rejoice 
in the government of God? in his supreme, 
universal, and everlasting dominion ? Is the 
language, "the Lord reigneth," pleasant to 
your ear? Does the loud and harmonious 
shout in the heavenly world, "Alleluia! for 
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" start the 
glad response in your soul — Amen! Alleluia! 
If these things are so, you need no audible 
voice, coming from heaven, to assure you that 
you are a child of God ; you need no angel to 
come down from the skies, to assure you that 
your name is written in the book of life. You 
have the evidence in your own bosom — hav- 
ing the spirit and stamp of the people of God. 
This being clear, then every thing else is 
clear : and, I hesitate not to say, that you are a 
child of God — that you have " a good hope 
through grace." Aye, and it is your privilege, 
even now, to "rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God." This is taught in our text — " Let 
every man prove his own work, and then 
shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and 
not in another." 

We have explained the precept, we would 
now lay before you 

II. The motive. — It is expressed in the words 
just repeated — "Then shall he have rejoicing 
in himself alone, and not in another :" — that 



SECOND SERIES. 



199 



is, he shall have independent joy. His conso- 
lations shall not flow from any thing around 
him, but shall be within him, as a well of wa- 
ter springing up into everlasting life. The 
happiness of unconverted men depends, very 
much, upon outward circumstances. When 
the world smiles upon them, and they have 
temporal prosperity, they may have something 
like pleasure, playing around the heart; but 
when the world frowns, and adversity comes, 
then their springs of comfort are cut off, and 
they are ready to say, with Micah — " Ye have 
taken away my gods, and what have I beside?" 
See Cardinal Wolsey ! Whilst basking in the 
sunshine of royal favour, he seemed to be a 
happy man. He lived in splendour; he revel- 
ed in a palace ; noblemen were his attendants ; 
and, like Solomon of old, he had access to 
every source of worldly enjoyment. But, 
when reverses came, when Henry VIII. put 
him out of office, and the nobles of the court 
turned their backs upon him, he became a 
wretched man, and, it is said, died of a broken 
heart. He was no Christian — he had no springs 
of consolation within him ; he had no source 
of rejoicing in his own bosom ; no gracious 
affections in exercise ; no cheering hopes of 
heavenly bliss. He had nothing to sustain 
him; and, literally, his grey hairs went down 



200 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



with sorrow to the grave. How different is it 
with the truly pious man ! His chief sources 
of enjoyment are within — deeply seated in his 
own soul. See, for example, Paul and Silas 
at Philippi. They are shamefully treated. 
By order of the magistrates, they are beaten; 
they are thrust into the inner prison ; their 
feet are made fast in the stocks ; the whole 
world is frowning upon them ; and one would 
suppose that they can have no source of com- 
fort whatever. Surely, they are the most 
wretched persons in Philippi ! It is a mistake. 
They are the happiest— the very happiest! 
They are too happy to sleep! for, we are told, 
that "at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and 
sang praises unto God." It is written — "Is 
any merry? let him sing psalms." At a mid- 
night hour, Paul and Silas gave this proof of 
joyfulness, even in a dungeon ! Whilst others 
are wrapped in slumber, Paul and Silas are 
singing — their inward consolations are so 
great! Yes, this, and not sorrow, drives away 
sleep from their eyes, and slumber from their 
eyelids. They are happy ! they are joyful ! 
They forget that the gloom of the inner prison 
is around them. Celestial radiance is beaming 
indirect upon their souls! They forget that 
their feet are made fast in the stocks; they 
seem to be walking in a large place ! Their 



SECOND SERIES. 



201 



backs, also, are lacerated with stripes; but this 
too, is forgotten — their souls are not lacerated ; 
their souls are happy! In the midst of all 
their worldly tribulations, they have inward 
comfort. The full tide of heavenly consola- 
tion is flowing into every chamber of their 
souls! I repeat it, they are happy — the hap- 
piest men in Philippi; yea, the happiest men 
in Philippi! How can this be accounted for? 
Our text explains the whole matter. " They 
have proved their own work;" they have full 
evidence that they are the children of God ; 
that God loves them; and that soon their 
" weary feet shall reach the peaceful inn of last- 
ing rest." Yes, in their bosoms they have the 
blest assurance, that only a little while, and 
they will have shed their last tear ! will have 
heaved their last sigh ! will have felt their last 
pang ! Only a little while, and they will be 
with God and his angels ! Only a little while, 
and they will be looking their Redeemer in 
the face with joy ! Only a little while, and 
they will be bathing in glory, as in the sun- 
light of heaven ! How beautifully and strong- 
ly does this illustrate our text — "Let every 
man prove his own work, and then shall he 
have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in 
another." 

But have we not seen examples before our 



202 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



own eyes? Have we not seen the children of 
God wonderfully sustained in the hour of trou- 
ble ? Have we not seen them happy, exceed- 
ingly happy, in the time of their deepest afflic- 
tion? Yes, when every thing of a temporal 
nature seemed to be against them, they have 
been enabled to say with the prophet — " Al- 
though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither 
shall fruit be in the vine : the labour of the 
olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no 
meat : the flock shall be cut off from the 
fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall ; 
yet will I rejoice in the Lord ; I will joy in the 
God of my salvation." Thank God, for that re- 
ligion which can sustain us in the day of se- 
verest trial, and give us rich consolation amid 
scenes of deepest worldly sorrow ! "Which 
can lighten the heaviest burden, and sweeten 
the bitterest cup, and brighten the darkest 
scene ; yea, which in the hour of deepest 
affliction, can give us " a young heaven begun 
below, and glory in the bud !" "The people 
here, will say," said the late venerated Mo- 
ses Hoge, when dying in Philadelphia, away 
from his home — " the people here will say, 
6 Poor old man ! ? Why," exclaimed he, " I 
am the happiest man in Philadelphia!" " My 
dear sister," said I to a beloved member of 
my church, who was near her end — "my 



SECOND SERIES. 



203 



dear sister, how do you find yourself this morn- 
ing?" Grasping my hand, with much emo- 
tion, she replied, "My dear pastor, I am in 
pain, in great pain; but O," continued she, 
" I am happy ! I am happy ! O, I am so 
happy!" 

"Jesus can make a dying bed 

Feel soft as downy pillows are !" 

O, let me but have grace to prove my own 
work — let me only have clear scriptural evi- 
dence that I am a Christian — a real Christian 
— a true child of God, and I am free to say, for 
one, I can be happy on a bed of straw — on a 
bed of affliction ! on the rack ! on the wheel ! 
bound to the stake ! or amid the flames of mar- 
tyrdom ! If God be for us, who can be against 
us? Only think! — one short night, and then 
everlasting day ! One pang, and then, joy ! 
joy ! and joy for evermore ! " Let every man 
prove his own work, and then shall he have 
rejoicing in himself alone, and not in an- 
other." 



204 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



SERMON VIII. 

THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, AND THEIR DESIGN. 

And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama 
sabacthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my v God, why hast thou for- 
saken me? — Mark xv. 34. 

Never, O never, my friends, was there a more 
awful hour than that in which these words 
were pronounced by the suffering Jesus! It 
was an hour of wrath, of awful vengeance, of 
mysterious darkness ! It was the dread hour 
of atonement, when the high destinies of man 
were sealed with blood ! Nature trembled, and 
stood aghast! Midnight veiled the earth and 
skies! The universe was wrapped in solemn 
silence, whilst the Eternal Father, bending from 
his awful throne, fixed his eyes on Calvary, and 
laid his hand heavy upon the darling of his 
bosom! Oh! what a scene was there! The 
" Lord of glory," stripped of his splendours, 
surrounded by his enemies, and nailed to the 
accursed tree ! His head is wounded with 
pricking thorns; his hands and his feet are 
pierced with rugged nails ; his precious blood 
gushes forth, streams down, and smokes upon 
the mount ! His soul is in anguish, and almost 
overwhelmed, he cries with a grievous and bit- 
ter cry, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?- — my 
'God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 



SECOND SERIES. 



205 



O that sound ! — so strange, so awful, so mys- 
terious! Methinks it rends the heavens! It 
reaches the courts of glory ! Suddenly, the 
music of heaven dies away ! Mute is the 
tongue of the seraph, silent the harps of the 
angelic throng! All the heavenly ones gaze 
in astonishment upon the wondrous scene ! 

"Around the bloody tree, 

They pressed with strong desire, 
That wondrous sight to see, 
The Lord of life expire ! 
And could their eyes 
Have known a tear, 
Had dropped it there 
In sad surprise 1" 

My brethren, we would present no scene 
of human grandeur, but a scene far better 
calculated to touch the ingenuous heart. We 
would not rehearse the achievements of some 
mighty conqueror, who has desolated the 
earth, drenched its fields in blood, and grasped 
his laurels, reeking with human gore. No, 
we would rather take you by the hand, and 
lead you to Calvary, and there point out to 
you our blessed Saviour, suspended on the 
cross. O see ! He suffers ! It is in a cause 
worthy of a God. He dies ! Garlands of vic- 
tory grace his immortal brow ; and the rising 
dead chant his triumphs before the eternal 
throne ! But whither would we £0? It is the 
suffering, not the triumphing Saviour, we are 
18 



206 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

this morning called upon to contemplate. Lo! 
he hangs upon the tree ! Wrapped in a ves- 
ture dipped in blood, he treads the wine-press 
of the wrath of Almighty God. Now, the man- 
date goes forth from the throne of the Eternal 
King, " Awake, O sword, against my Shep- 
herd, and the man that is my fellow, saitb the 
Lord: smite the Shepherd!" And think, O my 
soul, the Shepherd was smitten ! The sword 
of divine vengeance pierced his very heart ! 
and now, shrouded in darkness, and almost ex- 
piring, in agony he cries, "Eloi, Eloi, lama 
sabacthani? which is, being interpreted, My 
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 
My brethren, here is a scene, a spectacle of a 
most extraordinary character ! It is full of 
wonder and mystery, and is said to be preg- 
nant with immense consequences. Nay, it is 
said to be the point upon which hangs the only 
hope of a ruined world ! Let us take up the 
subject at this time, as if we never heard of it 
before. For this purpose, there are three in- 
quiries which we would base upon our text : 

I. Who is this sufferer ? 

II. What did he suffer ? and 

III. For whom, or what did he suffer ? 

I. Who is this sufferer? — His character is 
certainly unique ; it is without precedent, with- 
out parallel ! For example : the circumstances 



SECOND SERIES. 



207 



connected with his birth, show plainly that he is 
no ordinary personage. What says the Evan- 
gelist Matthew? "When Jesus was born in 
Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the 
king, behold, there came wise men from the 
east, saying, Where is he that is born King of 
the Jew r s? for we have seen his star in the 
east, and are come to worship him. When 
Herod the king had heard these things, he was 
troubled, and all Jerusalem w T ith him. And 
when he had gathered all the chief priests and 
scribes of the people together, he demanded of 
them where Christ should be born. And they 
said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for 
thus it is written by the prophet, And thou 
Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the 
least among the princes of Juda: for out of 
thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my 
people Israel. Then Herod, when he had pri- 
vily called the wise men, inquired of them 
diligently what time the star appeared. And 
he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go, and 
search diligently for the young child; and 
when ye have found him, bring me word 
again, that I may come and worship him also. 
When they had heard the king, they departed ; 
and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, 
w ? ent before them, till it came and stood over 
where the young child was. When they saw 
the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great 



208 EEVIVAL SERMONS. 

\ 

joy. And when they were come into the house, 
they saw the young child with Mary his mo- 
ther, and fell down, and worshipped him : and 
when they had opened their treasures, they 
presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankin- 
cense, and myrrh. And being warned of God 
in a dream that they should not return to 
Herod, they departed into their own country 
another way." And what says Luke ? " There 
were in the same country shepherds abiding in 
the field, keeping watch over their flock by 
night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came 
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone 
around about them ; and they were sore afraid. 
And the angel said unto them, Fear not : for 
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people. For unto you is 
born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, 
which is Christ the Lord." "And suddenly 
there was with the angel a multitude of the 
heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory 
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good 
will toward men." Now, these things are 
wonderful. When did a star announce the 
birth, or angels sing the the natal song of any 
other born into the world ? 

Again: The circumstances connected with 
the presentation of the child Jesus in the tem- 
ple, show plainly that he is no common per- 
sonage. Luke gives this account of the mat- 



SECOND SERIES. 209 

ter: "And behold, there was a man in Jerusa- 
lem, whose name was Simeon; and the same 
man was just and devout, waiting for the con- 
solation of Israel : and the Holy Ghost was 
upon him. And it was revealed unto him by 
the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death 
before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he 
came by the Spirit into the temple ; and when 
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do 
for him after the custom of the law% then took 
he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and 
said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart 
in peace, according to thy word : for mine eyes 
have seen thy salvation, which thou hast pre- 
pared before the face of all people; a light to 
lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy peo- 
ple Israel." These things also are unprece- 
dented. Who is this sufferer? The circum- 
stances connected with his life show plainly 
also, that he was no ordinary personage. He 
spake as never man spake. His miracles were 
stupendous, and all miracles of kindness; and, 
on several occasions, miraculous attestations 
were given to his character, peculiar to himself. 
At his baptism, the Spirit, in a bodily form, as 
a dove, descended and rested upon him; and 
an audible voice was heard from heaven, say- 
ing, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am 
well pleased." On one occasion, an angel 
ministered to him in the desert; and on an- 
18* 



210 



EEVIVAL SERMONS. 



other, Moses and Elijah conversed with him 
on the mount. He asserted his dominion over 
all things; and, in proof thereof, he not only 
healed the sick, and raised the dead, and cast 
out devils ; he not only opened the eyes of the 
blind, and unstopped the ears of the deaf, and 
caused the lame man to leap as a hart, and the 
tongue of the dumb to sing ; but he stilled the 
tempest, walked upon the waves of the sea, 
turned water into wine, and declared that he 
existed before Abraham ; that he was with the 
Father before the world was; that he was Lord 
of the Sabbath ; that he had power to forgive 
sins; was the resurrection and the life, and 
would, finally, judge the world at the last day ! 
Who is this sufferer ? 

The circumstances connected with his death 
also show that he is no common personage. It 
is true there were certain things of a humilia- 
ting character connected with his death; but 
these were closely linked with other things of 
a character entirely different. Did Judas be- 
tray him for thirty pieces of silver? He did ; 
but afterwards he brought back to the priests 
the pieces of silver; cast them down in the 
temple, and, in the agony of an accusing con- 
science, he went out and hanged himself. Did 
Peter deny him? He did; but a few hours 
afterwards he went out and wept bitterly. Did 
Herod, with his men of war, set him at naught 



SECOND SERIES. 



211 



and mock him, and array him in a gorgeous 
robe ? He did, and yet was constrained to say 
that he found no fault in him. Did Pilate con- 
demn him? He did; but also, calling for 
water, he washed his hands, and said, I am 
innocent of the blood of this just man. More- 
over, we are informed, that whilst Pilate was 
upon the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto 
him, and said, " Have thou nothing to do with 
that just man, for I have this day suffered 
many things in a dream, because of him." 
W as he crucified ? He was ; but there was 
darkness over all the land, from the sixth to 
the ninth hour! Did he finally bow his head, 
and give up the ghost? He did ; but the veil 
of the temple was rent in twain from the top 
to the bottom; and the rocks were rent; and 
the graves were opened ; and many bodies of 
the saints, which slept, arose and came out of 
their graves after his resurrection, and went 
into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 

When he was laid in Joseph's sepulchre, it 
is true, he was under the power of death. 
Moreover, a great stone was rolled to the door 
of the sepulchre. The stone was sealed, and 
a guard was set; but, on the morning of the 
third day, " behold, there was a great earth- 
quake; for the angel of the Lord descended 
from heaven, and came, and rolled back the 
stone from the door of the sepulchre, and sat 



212 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



upon it. His countenance was like lightning, 
and his raiment white as snow." And, finally, 
he led his disciples " out as far as to Bethany, 
and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 
And it came to pass, whilst he blessed them, 
he was parted from them, and carried up into 
heaven." These are all wonderful things, and 
we find nothing like them in connection with 
any other who ever appeared on earth. The 
question, then, returns, Who is this sufferer? 
I answer — First: He is no mere man. I know 
it, for the Bible tells us that his goings forth 
have been from of old, even from everlasting. 
This can be affirmed of no mere man; and 
therefore we know that he is no mere man. 
Nor can he be any mere angel. We know it ; 
for the apostle expressly says — " He took not 
on him the nature of angels." Who is this 
mysterious personage? He is no mere crea- 
ture, however exalted. His works prove this ; 
for, according to the Scriptures, "the world 
was made by him, and the world knew him 
not." His names and titles prove the same 
thing; for, in the Bible, he is called, "God," 
Hek i. 8; "The mighty God," Xsa. ix. 6; 
"The Lord of glory,'' Rev. i. 11; "Alpha 
and Omega;" "the Almighty;" and "God 
over all, blessed for ever." These names and 
titles can be applied to no mere creature, how- 
ever exalted; and, therefore, Jesus Christ is 



SECOND SERIES. 



213 



no mere creature. In corroboration of this, 
notice this language of Paul, speaking of 
Christ: "He took upon him the form of a ser- 
vant." Now, the loftiest creatures are, in the 
very nature of the case, God's servants; but if 
Christ took upon him the form of a servant, he 
must originally have possessed a nature above 
that of the loftiest creature, and therefore 
could not have been any mere creature, how- 
ever exalted. But the question is still before 
us, Who is this sufferer? Isaiah tells us: 
" Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is 
given; and the government shall be upon his 
shoulders. And his name shall be called, 
Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the 
everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace." 
John tells us, (ch. i. 1,) "In the beginning 
was the word; and the word was with God, 
and the word was God. And the word was 
made flesh, and dwelt among us ; and we be- 
held his glory as the glory of the only begot- 
ten of the Father, full of grace and truth." 
Indeed, the Saviour himself tells us, "I am 
the root and offspring of David." This is 
enough— we are now prepared to affirm that 
this blessed sufferer is very God, and very 
man : in other words, he has a two-fold nature 
— the divine and the human — in mysterious, 
yet all harmonious union. Do you stumble at 
the mystery? Paul did not; for, says he, 



214 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



" without controversy, great is the mystery of 
godliness. God was manifest in the flesh." 
But it may be objected, Does not the sufferer, 
addressing the everlasting Father, say, " My 
God, my God?" I answer, he does. But if 
this disproves the supreme divinity of the 
Son, then when the Father, addressing the 
Son, calls him God, saying, " Thy throne, O 
God, is for ever and ever," (Heb. i. 8,) by 
a parity of reason, this disproves the supreme 
divinity of the Father, also. No, my brethren, 
the doctrine of the two-fold nature of Christ, 
though mysterious, is true. In relation to his 
divine nature, he was the Mighty God, the 
everlasting Father; in reference to his human 
nature, he was a child born, a son given. As 
regards the divine nature, the Word was God ; 
as regards the human nature, the Word was 
made flesh, and dwelt among us. As to his 
divine nature, Christ was the " Root" of David 
— the source of David's being ; as to his hu- 
man nature, he was David's "offspring" — 
David's son. But if the doctrine of the two- 
fold nature of Christ be mysterious, it is true, 
as we have said ; and not only is it true, but 
needful. He must have a human nature, 
to obey the law, and a divine nature to give 
merit to that obedience. He must have a 
human nature to suffer, a divine nature to give 
efficacy to his sufferings. He must have a hu- 



SECOND SERIES. 



215 



man nature to have a brother's heart ; a divine 
nature to have have an Almighty arm. 0, 
my brethren, if the doctrine of the two-fold 
nature of Christ be mysterious, remember, 
it is both true and needful, and, I may 
add, precious ! Paul evidently thought it so ; 
hence this language — "We have not a high- 
priest, who cannot be touched with a feeling 
of our infirmities, but was, in all points, 
tempted like as we are, yet without sin."— 
Yes, we know now who the sufferer is. His 
character is developed— his nature is made 
known. One distant, and yet near ! One 
who unites in himself both the the divine and 
human nature — all the glories of God, attem- 
pered with the milder beauties of a perfect 
man. Having given a scriptural answer to the 
first inquiry, we proceed to consider, 

II. What did he suffer ? — The sufferings of 
our Saviour were great, all the time he so- 
journed on earth; but we believe that his 
sufferings reached their climax when he utter- 
ed the cry in our text. Then it was that the 
storm of w r rath which w T as hastening on to 
break down the pillars of the earth, and sweep 
its guilty millions into an everlasting hell, fell, 
in all its fury, upon this great sufferer ! But, 
not to anticipate, we remark — First : That he 
suffered great loss. If some mighty earthly 
monarch should be stripped of his crown, and 



216 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



reduced to the condition of a plebian subject; 
or, if some rich man should be deprived of all 
his possessions, and be reduced to the condi- 
tion of a houseless and friendless beggar, you 
would certainly think that he had sustained 
great loss. Now, think of Him, who once 
commanded the treasures of the universe, but 
on earth had no place where to lay his sacred 
head. According to the Scriptures, our bless- 
ed Saviour emptied himself — though he was 
rich, for our sakes he became poor, that w T e, 
through his poverty, might be rich. One 
said — " Master, I will follow thee whitherso- 
ever thou goest." And what was his reply? 
" The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air 
have nests ; but the Son of Man hath not 
where to lay his head." And John mentions 
a circumstance which, I confess, I had long 
overlooked : — on a certain occasion, the Sa- 
viour taught the multitude ; and when the 
evening came, " every man went into his own 
house;" but " Jesus went to the Mount of 
Olives!" Blessed Saviour! The poorest of 
his hearers had some house ; but Jesus had 
none! So he went to the Mount of Olives! 
Ah ! my brethren, it is even so — " Though he 
was rich, for our sakes he became poor !" Yes, 
he suffered great loss. But, 

Secondly: He suffered great indignity. If 
a true prophet should be treated as an impos- 



SECOND SERIES. 217 

tor, or a lawful monarch as a plebeian subject, 
you would say that an indignity had been done 
to him. Now remember that this sufferer is 
expressly called "the Lord of Glory." He is, 
in deed and in truth, the Son of God, and only 
think of the treatment he met with on earth. 
He was the " Rose of Sharon," but he was 
esteemed as a " root out of a dry ground." He 
was the chiefest among ten thousand, but he 
was considered as one " without form or come- 
liness." He was the "angel of the covenant," 
but he received not the honours of an angel. 
His own people shunned his embrace, as 
though he was some malignant fiend, whose 
touch was death, and whose breath was a blast- 
ing pestilence. But he was more than an 
angel. He was the " Lord of angels;" he was 
" the brightness of the Father's glory, and the 
express image of his person;" and when he 
gave proof of it, by the commanding evidence 
of the most stupendous miracles, his enemies 
raged against him more and more. Their 
malice and envy have kindled up a fire in their 
bosoms. They desire his death ! They thirst 
for his blood ! They long for the time to come 
when they shall feast their eyes with his 
streaming veins, and regale their ears with his 
dying groans ! O see ! an impious, ruffian 
band has invaded the retirement of our blessed 
Saviour! Their daring, sacrilegious hands, 
19 



218 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



have bound him fast ! — Shall I proceed ? Shall 
I rehearse what followed? It was enough to 
make an angel weep ! It was enough to draw 
down thunderbolts of wrath ! He is taken to 
the hall of Caiaphas; he is then hurried to 
Pilate's judgment bar! He is next taken to 
Herod, who, with his men of war, set him at 
naught! They plait a crown of thorns, and 
put it upon his head, and, bowing the knee, 
they smite him upon the head ! He is next 
sent back to Pilate — false witnesses rise up 
against him ! None dare appear in his behalf. 
The hall, the court, the very heavens, ring 
with the cry, " Crucify him! Crucify him!" 
Overawed by a raging multitude, Pilate gives 
sentence against him. And now all seemed 
licensed to revile and insult God's only Son ! 
He is blindfolded and smitten upon the cheek ! 
An insulting voice is heard, saying, Prophesy, 
thou Christ, who is he that smote thee? They 
buffet him, they scourge him, they spit in his 
face ! And now the cross is erected ; the in- 
struments of torture are prepared. The third 
hour is come. O dreadful hour! A deed is 
done at which all worlds recoil with horror. 
The blessed Jesus is nailed to the cross — and 
that, too, between two malefactors, as though 
he were the chief malefactor. "The sun be- 
held the scene? No! the shocking scene drove 
back his chariot! midnight veiled his face!" 



SECOND SERIES. 



219 



O what a moment was that! But is not malice 
at length charmed into pity? Is not envy at 
last converted into love ? No, no ! His ene- 
mies triumph and exult. They revile, they 
rail, they wag their heads, and exclaim, Ah, 
thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest 
it in three days, come down from the cross, 
and w 7 e will believe ! This is echoed back by 
the chief priests and Pharisees, who contemptu- 
ously cry out and say, " He saved others, him- 
self he cannot save." And now 

"A solemn darkness veils the sky, 

A sudden trembling shakes the ground.' ' 

But hark! a voice is heard : it comes from the 
suffering Jesus ! Is it — Angels of *ny Father ! 
crush these murderers dead? Vengeance of 
my God ! blast them to an everlasting hell ? — - 
O no ! It is the language of the angel of mer- 
cy; of the divine and compassionate Saviour 
of the world. It is this : " Father forgive them, 
they know not what they do." O, what a suf- 
ferer, and what indignities did he suffer! But, 
Thirdly: Our Saviour suffered great mental 
anguish. Whilst his bodily sufferings must 
have been very great, (as he had all the physi- 
cal sensibilities of human nature,) we have rea- 
son to believe that his mental sufferings, or the 
sorrow's of his soul, were infinitely greater. 
Hence it is said, " He made his soul an offering 



220 



REVIVAL SERMONS* 



for sin ;" and again, " He poured out his soul 
unto death." See this blessed sufferer in the 
garden; what is his language? — " Now is my 
soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." 
And again, " O, my Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from me : nevertheless, not 
what I will, but what thou wilt." This prayer 
he offered a second time; and even yet a third 
time his plaintive voice is heard uttering the 
same thing: " O, my Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from me : nevertheless, not 
what I will, but what thou wilt." "And," 
says the Evangelist, "being in an agony, he 
prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was, as 
it were, great drops of blood, falling down upon 
the ground i" What is this? As yet, no im- 
pious hand had smitten his cheek ; no rugged 
nails had pierced his hands or his feet; nor, as 
yet, had he been buffeted or scourged. Was 
it the anticipation of these things that over- 
whelmed him with sorrow ? Was it the dread 
of such things which caused his prayer of 
agony and bloody sweat? O no! for on the 
cross he made no complaint of outward suffer- 
ings. He says not, O wicked soldiers! O 
cruel death! but "My God, my God, why 
hast thou forsaken me?" It is admitted that 
there is something mysterious in this matter. 
We cannot understand it now — we probably 
never will in this world. The main idea, how- 



SECOND SERIES. 



221 



ever, seems to be this : The sinner was exposed 
to the frown of the Everlasting Father. Jesus 
Christ became the sinner's substitute; and, in 
some way or other, inexplicable to us, these 
frowns rested upon him. Whilst in the gar- 
den, and on the cross, the mandate went forth, 
" Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd ! and 
against the man that is my Fellow, saith the 
Lord !" "Whilst in the garden and on the cross, 
he was made to tread the wine-press of the 
wrath of Almighty God! Men did rail; devils 
did rage; hell did howl. AH the billows of the 
pit, did, as it were, roll over his holy soul ! 
Suddenly, even the light of the divine counte- 
nance was withdrawn, God the Father frowns 
upon the Son of his love. O this frown! this 
mysterious, tremendous frown! It spreads 
an unearthly gloom over the mind of the suf- 
ferer; it wraps his soul in agony; it extorts 
the piercing, bitter cry, " Eloi, Eloi, lama 
sabacthani? My God! my God! why hast thou 
forsaken me?" Thank God! the cloud soon 
passed away. The tide of sorrow ceased to 
flow. " It is finished!" said the dying but tri- 
umphant Saviour, and that word sealed the re- 
demption of a ruined world ! But this brings 
us to consider, more particularly, the last inqui- 
ry based upon our text : 

III. For whom, or for what, did he thus 
suffer? — Not for himself. No, he was holy, 
19* 



222 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin- 
ners. There was nothing in his own person to 
attract the lightnings of divine vengeance. 
For whom or what, then, did he suffer ? Not 
for sinning angels. No, for 

"From heaven the sinning angels fell; 

And wrath and darkness chained them down/' 

This glorious One never interposed to shield 
them. They, in righteous judgment, were left 
exposed to wrath; were left to bear the punish- 
ment of their own sin. The question then 
returns again — For whom, or for what, did 
Christ suffer? This question is one which 
comes near to us, and one, methinks, which 
should have power to melt the hardest heart, 
and subdue the most rebellious soul. Only 
think ! the very objects for which Christ suf- 
fered are not far away. They are near us. 
They are within the walls of this very house, 
this very day! He suffered for sinners of 
Adam's race. This doctrine is abundantly 
taught in this volume. It is confirmed by 
the testimony of many, who " spake as they 
were moved by the Holy Ghost." " Christ our 
Passover," says Paul, " was sacrificed for us;" 
yea, " died for us." " He suffered for us," says 
Peter; yea, "he himself bare our sins in his 
own body on the tree." And what is the 
language of John? "Herein is love, not that 



SECOND SERIES. 



223 



we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent 
his Son to be a propitiation for our sins." 
And again, hear the beautiful doxology, which 
he offers up in his own name, and that of 
the whole Church, militant and triumphant — 
" Unto him that loved us, and washed us from 
our sins in his own blood ; and hath made us 
kings and priests unto God, and his Father — 
to him be glory and dominion for ever and 
ever. Amen." 

But observe — this doctrine of the atone- 
ment, or substitutionary sacrifice of Christ, was 
equally well known to the prophets of ancient 
days. Hence the language of Isaiah : " He was 
wounded for our transgressions ; he was bruised 
for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our 
peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we 
are healed. All we like sheep have gone 
astray ; we have turned every one to his own 
way; and the Lord hath laid upon him the 
iniquity of us all." And Zechariah, speaking 
in the name of the Lord, evidently has refer- 
ence to the same thing, when he uses this 
language : " As for thee also, by the blood of 
thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners 
out of the pit, wherein is no water." The 
Saviour himself taught the same doctrine of 
the atonement, when he said, u I am the good 
shepherd : the good shepherd giveth his life 
for the sheep." And certainly, also, there is 



221 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



reference to the same thing, what time all the 
redeemed in heaven are represented as singing 
this song : " Thou art worthy to take the book, 
and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast 
slain, and hast redeemed us to God, by thy 
blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and 
people, and nation." Whatever cavils or ob- 
jections may be started against the doctrine 
by sceptics and unbelievers, we see plainly it 
is a Bible doctrine; it is written in the Scrip- 
tures as with a sunbeam. Yes, it is the great 
central doctrine of the Christian system, around 
which all others revolve, and upon which all 
others depend. Strike it out, and you strike 
the sun from the firmament! you wrap the 
whole world in gloom ! you shroud the whole 
family of man in the darkness of never-ending 
despair ! But the doctrine is not only a Bible 
doctrine, it is most precious. It is full of beauty 
and sweetness; of grandeur and of glory. It is 
calculated to excite the highest admiration; to 
fill the whole soul with the full tide of wonder, 
love, and joy. 

You may have seen the representation given 
of this matter, by Christmas Evans, the elo- 
quent "Welsh divine. I do not recollect his 
words : I give you, as well as I can, the main 
idea: — Suppose a large enclosure, walled up 
to heaven, with gates of brass. Within this 
enclosure, a large multitude of human beings, 



SECOND SERIES. 



225 



presenting every form and variety of woe. 
On the outer side, Mercy is seen, leaning upon 
the gate, weeping. As, ever and anon, she 
looks through the bars, at the wretched crowd, 
she sighs, and exclaims — O that this gate 
were open ! O that I could but enter in ! I 
would heal the sick ; I would raise the fallen ; 
I would cheer the faint ; I would bind up the 
broken-hearted; I would soothe the wretched; 
I would wipe away the tears from the eyes of 
the sorrowful; I would diffuse happiness on 
every hand ! Just at this time, the heavens 
are opened, and the Son of God is seen des- 
cending in pomp and grandeur, surrounded 
fay a host of mighty angels. 'Hovering over 
the gate, he looks kindly at Mercy, as she 
weeps, and says — Mercy, why weepest thou? 
" Mine eyes affect my heart," replies Mercy ; 
"I have gazed at this wretched throng; I have 
contemplated their many sorrows. Their case 
is truly an evil one. O, that this gate were 
opened ! O, that I could enter in ! I would 
heal the sick; I would raise the fallen; I would 
cheer the faint ; I would bind up the broken- 
hearted; I would make them happy !" " And 
why can you not enter in?" says the Son of 
God. " These," replies Mercy, " are sinners; 
they have rebelled against the Eternal King, 
and stern Justice has reared these walls to 
heaven, and bolted and barred this gate of 



226 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



brass." "Is there no remedy?" said the Son 
of God. "None," said Mercy; and again she 
sighed, and her tears trickled down! "No 
remedy?" repeated the Son of God. "None," 
said Mercy, " except one of sufficient dignity 
can be found, who would be willing to make 
an atonement for them — bearing their sins, in 
his own body, upon the tree." "Do I possess 
sufficient dignity?" said the Son of God. 
Mercy bowed before the " Brightness of the 
Father's glory, and the express image of his 
person." Justice was appealed to by the hea- 
venly One. Justice bowed low in the presence 
of Jehovah's equal — in the presence of him, 
whom all the angels in heaven are commanded 
to worship and adore. That was a time of 
love. The heart of the Blessed One yearned 
over Adam's ruined race ; and he said — " Upon 
me be this evil, Justice. I will take their 
place. For them, I will make the great atone- 
ment ; I will bear their sins, in my own body, 
upon the tree." " When ?" said Justice. " Four 
thousand years from this time," replied the 
Son of God. It was ratified ; it was recorded 
in the archives of heaven. And, Justice, with 
a mighty hand, opened the ponderous gate. 
And Mercy entered. With angel speed, she 
flew ! She mingled with the crowd ; she heal- 
ed the sick ; she raised the fallen ; she cheered 
the faint; she bound up the broken-hearted; 



SECOND SERIES. 



227 



she made many, many happy ! She was en- 
gaged in this blessed work through the long 
roll of four thousand years. At the time ap- 
pointed, Justice descended, upon a black and 
stormy cloud. His hand grasped fierce light- 
nings — at his feet rolled mighty thunders! 
The earth trembled; and the sun ceased to 
shine! "Mercy!" exclaimed stern Justice. 
" Mercy ! the hour is come ! Where is the 
substitute?" "Yonder he is," replies Mercy; 
"Yonder he is, bearing his cross on Calvary's 
brow!" Justice looked up to heaven, and 
called for fire to descend, and light upon the 
soul of the holy Jesus ! Fire descended upon 
the victim ! It burned, and burned furiously ! 
It consumed the humanity, but when it touch- 
ed the divinity, it expired! And Mercy, with 
joy unutterable, exclaimed, " Glory to God in 
the highest, on earth peace, good will toward 
men !" Yea, heaven rang jubilee, whilst saints 
and angels, without number, shouted, " Glory 
to God in the highest, on earth, peace, good 
will toward men !" 

O, my brethren, the scene presented on Cal- 
vary was truly a wonderful scene ! The work 
there accomplished was, beyond all compari- 
son, a mighty work, a glorious work. It is 
that w 7 hich will add countless millions of hap- 
py beings to the already innumerable host of 
shining ones in glory! and that which will, 



228 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



through all the cycles of endless years, fill the 
great temple of God Almighty with sounding 
praise ! And, my Christian brethren, what 
shall we say of Him, who, as we have already 
said, on the cross crushed the serpent's head, 
calmed the frowns of angry justice, and there 
won for his people crowns of glory, and thrones 
of everlasting splendour? Well has the name 
"Wonderful" been added to the splendid list of 
names and titles which he bears and will for 
ever bear ! He is wonderful in his two-fold 
nature, being both God and man ! He is won- 
derful in his birth ; wonderful in his life; won- 
derful in his death ; wonderful in his resurrec- 
tion, and wonderful in his ascension. He is 
wonderful in the eyes of angels, and wonderful 
in the eyes of all worlds; but especially should 
he be considered wonderful in our eyes, for O 
how wonderful was that love which caused him 
to suffer such loss, such indignity, and such un- 
told sorrows on our account ! How wonderful, 
that he who was so rich, should, for our sakes, 
become so poor ! That he who in heaven com- 
manded the treasures of the universe, should 
on earth have no place where to lay his head ! 
How wonderful, that he who was originally 
the brightness of his Father's glory, and the 
express image of his person, should wrap his 
Godhead in a veil of our inferior clay ! How 
wonderful, that he who was God's coequal, co- 



SECOND SERIES. 



229 



eternal Son, should exchange the bosom of his 
Father for a manger ! How wonderful, that he 
who is the Fountain of all glory, should be- 
come a " Man of sorrows, and acquainted with 
grief!" — that he who is the Angel of Mer- 
cy, should find no mercy himself! — that he 
who is the final Judge, should himself stand 
condemned at Pilate's bar ! How wonderful, 
that he whose title is "King of kings and Lord 
of lords," should exchange his throne for a 
cross, his diadem of glory for a crown of 
thorns, and his robes of light and majesty for a 
vesture dipped in blood ! Think ! O my soul ! 
how wonderful, that he who was the source of 
all honour, should be buffeted, and scourged, 
and spit upon ! that he who was the Prince of 
life, should be slain ! and that he whom the 
heaven of heavens cannot contain, should be 
laid in Joseph's tomb ! " Without controversy, 
great is the mystery of godliness : God was 
manifest in the flesh." Wonderful, wonderful 
Saviour ! 

" Come, expressive silence, muse his praise !" 



20 



230 



REVIVAL SERMONS 



SERMON XX* 

THE TOMB OF JESUS. 
Come, see the place where the Lord lay. — Matt, xxviii. 6. 

There is a power of association, and the exer- 
cise of this power oftentimes awakens feel- 
ings both pleasant and mournful to the soul. 
Returning, for example, to the place of our 
nativity, after a long absence, how do the 
recollections of former times crowd upon the 
mind ! The scenes of our childhood are be- 
fore us, and every object around serves to give 
rise to a train of pleasing or saddening reflec- 
tion. This house, that field, this beaten path- 
way, that shady grove — all have a nameless 
charm, by reason of certain tender recollec- 
tions associated with them. Walk over the 
field of battle, where the contest raged which 
decided the fate of your country ; and, if there 
her independence was achieved, how sacred is 
the spot— how 7 pleasant are all the associations 
thereof! But if there " freedom shrieked," 
and the chains of despotism were made strong, 
you sigh, and tarn away. Visit the subterra- 

* For some fine thoughts in this sermon, I acknowledge 
myself indebted to Dr. Sprague, of Albany. 



V 



SECOND SERIES. 



231 



nean ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii ; and 
as you stand amid the relics of ancient magni- 
ficence and grandeur, there is, so to speak, a 
resurrection of the dead before you. You can 
almost imagine that you are actually holding 
converse with those, over whose slumbering 
ashes many a long century has rolled. Enter 
that graveyard, approach that hallowed spot, 
where sleeps, in death, some venerated father, 
or beloved mother, or wife, or brother, or sister, 
or some sweet little babe; and how does busy 
memory hurry you back to some past scene of 
domestic enjoyment ! The scenes of by-gone 
days are full before you; and under the influ- 
ence of a kind of momentary delirium, you 
are ready to speak to the very dead, and say — 
" Farewell, dear object of my tenderest affec- 
tions, farewell!" Silence reigns! Pensive, 
you hang over the cold monumental marble ; 
or, in the sadness of a smitten heart, you gaze 
upon the rank grass, which waves over pre- 
cious dust. Still, silence reigns! A soft en- 
chantment is upon you. You linger— you 
look — you drop the tear of affection — you 
think unutterable things! O how sacred is 
that spot ! How tender are all the associations 
thereof! Disciples of Jesus, you, who this 
day are to commemorate his dying love, 
" come, see the place where the Lord lay!" 
There was a garden, and in that garden there 



232 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



was a sepulchre : there laid they the body of 
our Lord. It was the work of a friend, the 
last sad tribute of his love, Yes, the bloody 
deed had now been accomplished; the Lord 
of glory had been crucified and slain. He had 
bowed his head upon the cross, and exclaimed, 
with his dying breath, " It is finished !" The 
soldier, too, had thrust the spear into his side, 
when Joseph of Arirnathea, a rich man, and 
who also was one of Jesus' disciples, went in 
boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of our 
Lord. Having obtained the precious boon, he 
took the body down from the cross, wrapped it 
in linen, and laid it in his own new tomb, 
which he had hewed out of the rock. See ! O 
see ! there sleeps in death the Redeemer of the 
world ! 

" Three days within the grave's unbroken gloom 
The Hope of Israel slept; 
Three mournful days, around the hallowed tomb, 
The chosen watch was kept." 

And now the grey dawn is seen in the east ; 
the shadows of night are fleeing away. Let 
us, in imagination, fall in with the beloved wo- 
men, who, with spices and ointments, are 
going to the sepulchre. And, as they were 
going, they said among themselves, " Who 
shall roll us away the stone from the door of 
the sepulchre? And when they came, they 
saw that the stone was rolled away ; for it was 



SECOND SERIES. 



233 



very great." And now commences a series of 
events, the most surprising that men or angels 
ever witnessed. But let us hear the narrative 
of the Evangelist: "In the end of the Sab- 
bath, as it began to dawn, toward the first day 
of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the 
other Mary, to see the sepulchre. And, be- 
hold, there was a great earthquake; for the 
angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and 
came, and rolled back the stone from the door 
of the sepulchre, and sat upon it. His counte- 
nance was like lightning, and his raiment 
white as snow. And, for fear of him, the 
keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 
And the angel answered, and said unto the 
women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek 
Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here 3 for 
he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place 
where the Lord lay ; and go quickly, and tell 
his disciples, that he is risen from the dead ; 
and, behold, he goeth forth before you into 
Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have 
told you." What strange tidings are these! 
The Master risen from the dead ! Yes. it is 
even so ; for the beloved women have seen a 
vision of angels, which affirmed the fact. 
Nay, one in bright clothing points to the 
empty tomb, and says, " Come, see the place 
where the Lord lay!" Is this a dream? Is 
this the vision of a distempered imagination? 
20* 



234 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



no; for there sits the angel in bright cloth- 
ing ! — and his voice, it rings so sweetly upon 
the ear, "Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay." As if he had said, Let the keepers shake, 
and become as dead men ! I have no word 
of comfort for them. But, beloved women, 
fear not ye. I know what brought you here. 

1 see the spices and ointments in your hands : 
Fear not ye ; nor is there any occasion for 
spices and ointments now ! The Lord is 
risen ! is risen indeed ! Do you doubt it ? 
The body is gone ! The tomb is empty ! 
" Come, see the place where the Lord lay I" 
O that sacred, hallowed spot ! How dear 
are all the associations thereof! They are 
such as dying Christians may well linger 
■upon : they are such as saints in gloiay love ; 
and such as may form an appropriate and de- 
lightful theme for this 5 the morning of our 
communion Sabbath. 

I. "Come, see the place where the Lord lay," 
and mark the proof of his resurrection. When 
the angel said, "He is not here, but is risen," 
he points to the empty tomb, as proof of the 
fact. I know that in ordinary circumstances, 
the absence of a body deposited in a tomb, or 
sepulchre, is no proof, whatever, of the resur- 
rection of that body; but in the case before 
us, it is the most convincing that can be ad- 
duced. Observe, it is admitted that the body 



SECOND SERIES. 



235 



of our Saviour was laid in the tomb. It is ad- 
mitted that when there laid, it was under the 
power of death. It is admitted that our Lord 
frequently predicted that he would rise again 
from the dead on the third day. And it is well 
known that the chief priests and elders had 
special reasons for falsifying, if they could, the 
predictions of our Lord. Moreover, that a 
stone was rolled to the door of the sepulchre ; 
that this stone was sealed, and a guard was 
set — these things also are not denied ; and yet, 
on the morning of the third day, the body is 
not there! The tomb is empty — the body 
gone ! Now, the question is, What has be- 
come of that body ? If not risen, it must have 
been taken away. By whom? Not by the 
chief priests and Pharisees : this was the very 
thing against which they wished to guard. 
Not by the Roman band. They had no in- 
ducement. By whom, then, was it taken 
away? Not by the disciples of our Lord. 
They neither would, nor could. They would 
not, for he had been laid there by a friend, 
and they had no motive to disturb his repose. 
But suppose that they had desired never so 
much to take away his body, it was entirely 
out of their power; for they were a few dis- 
heartened ones, and the Roman band was 
sixty strong. But suppose the disciples had 
resolved, at all hazards, to take away the 



236 



BEVIVAL SERMONS. 



body of their Master ; there must have been a 
struggle. But there is no mention made of 
this struggle. But, said the chief priest to 
some of the watch, who came and told what 
had transpired in the morning, say ye, "his 
disciples came and stole him away while we 
slept." Mark! — a guard of sixty soldiers 
asleep ! all asleep ! and so profoundly asleep, 
that the noise necessarily occasioned by the 
rolling away of a great stone, and the remov- 
ing of the body, awaked not a single one !, 
Believe this, who can! and yet we are obliged 
to believe this, or the account given by the 
Evangelist, for a substantial reason, there is no 
other. Now, remember, first, the testimony of 
Mary Magdalene, to whom our Saviour ap- 
peared first after his resurrection from the 
dead; then the testimony of the other women, 
to whom he also appeared, saying, "All hail!" 
and next comes the testimony of the two disci- 
ples, who saw him while on their way to Era- 
maus; then the testimony of the eleven, to 
whom he appeared, as they sat at meat, the 
door being shut; and, last of all, hear the tes- 
timony of the converted Pharisee, who once 
breathed out threatenings and slaughter against 
the disciples of Christ. I have received of 
the Lord, says he, that which I also delivered 
unto you, how that Jesus Christ died for our 
sins, according to the Scriptures ; that he was 



SECOND SERIES. 



237 



buried, and that he rose from the dead again 
on the third day, according to the Scriptures ; 
that he was seen of Cephas, then of the 
twelve. After that, he was seen of about five 
hundred brethren at once, the greater part of 
whom remain unto this present time, but some 
are fallen asleep. Last of all, he was seen of 
me, also, as of one born out of due time. 
Now, consider these witnesses, their number, 
their credibility, and how they bear united tes- 
timony to the resurrection of Christ from the 
dead, and say, if human testimony can establish 
any fact, under heaven, is not this fact estab- 
lished? The Lord is risen — is risen indeed! 
But some present may be ready to §ay, The 
speaker has consumed time unnecessarily, in 
thus entering upon the proof of a fact which 
we all admit. Now, so far from this being a 
needless consumption of time, I must beg 
your indulgence whilst I occupy a little more 
time upon the same subject ; for I deem the 
matter of great importance, and shall, I hope, 
make this to appear in a few moments. 

Suppose a person, utterly unacquainted with 
the early history of our beloved country, 
should arrive at the port of New York on the 
morning of the 4th of July. Flags are flying, 
drums are beating, bells are ringing, cannons 
are firing, the military are parading. Every 
thing indicates the return of some joyous 



238 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



day, some grand jubilee. The stranger is as- 
tonished. By and by the citizens are seen 
gathering together in crowds, and wending 
their way to some splendid edifice. He min- 
gles with the throng, and soon finds himself 
seated in some spacious hall, tastefully decora- 
ted. He looks around upon a " sea of heads" 
— -every eye sparkling, every face dressed in 
smiles. At a signal given, silence reigns. An 
individual rises in some conspicuous place, 
and, holding in his hand a book, reads what is 
called "The Declaration of Independence." 
Another follows with a heart-stirring oration. 
He gives an account of the Revolutionary 
struggle in strains of thrilling eloquence; he 
rehearses the achievements of the patriots and 
heroes of that day; and, in winding up, he 
apostrophizes the shade of Washington, and, 
pointing to the star spangled banner leaning 
upon the wall, exclaims, " Long may it wave 
over the land of the free, and the home of the 
brave!" Deafening shouts are heard; mar- 
tial music strikes up, and, as the crowd, all 
joyous, retires, suppose the stranger comes up 
to one who is an American, and says, " Stran- 
ger, can you tell me the meaning of all this ? 
Why the waving of so many flags? the ring- 
ing of so many bells? the firing of so many 
cannon? and what means the scene present- 
ed in this house?" " O," says the American, 



SECOND SERIES. 239 

with his cheeks flushed with patriotic feeling, 
"this is the Fourth of July!" "The Fourth 
of July! and what do you mean by that?" 
"Why, sir, I mean that this is the birth-day of 
our nation's independence!" Now, suppose 
this foreigner should sneeringly say, u The 
birth-day of your nation's independence ! There 
is no such thing ! You Americans are all gull- 
ed ! You are a very simple people to believe 
any such thing. That Declaration of Inde- 
pendence, as you call it, is a forgery, and that 
oration all a farce. There was never such an 
historical event as you all pretend to commemo- 
rate !" 

My brethren, you understand the matter: 
you know the application I would make. — 
From the beginning of the world to a certain 
period, the seventh day of the week was set 
apart as the weekly Sabbath. From that pe- 
riod, down to the present time, the first day of 
week has, by the most enlightened nations 
upon earth, been set apart — to commemorate 
what? — the resurrection of Christ from the 
dead. Now, the question is, How could so 
many nations harmoniously agree to set apart 
a day to commemorate an event, which event 
never took place? The thing is impossible. 
The very existence, then, of the Christian 
Sabbath, is a standing monument — is proof 
positive of the fact which it commemorates — 



V 



240 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

the resurrection of Christ. This is an argu- 
ment which, we think, cannot be resisted ; an 
argument which will " stand the test of scru- 
tiny, of talents, and of time." Yes, the Lord 
is risen — is risen indeed! Thank God, our 
Redeemer slumbers no longer in the tomb! 
He has triumphed over death! He has tri- 
umphed over the grave! The Lord is risen, 
is risen indeed ! Hail to the day that saw him 
rise ! Come to the tomb of Jesus, and mark 
the proof of his resurrection ! 

II. " Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay," and mark the truth of the Christian reli- 
gion. This is inseparably connected with the 
fact of the resurrection of Christ from the 
dead. Prove the one, and the other follows, 
as a matter of course. Hence, I have thought 
it no waste of time, to make the proof of the 
resurrection of Christ perfectly plain and con- 
vincing. This established, we have an argu- 
ment for the truth of Christianity, which, I 
humbly conceive, may not be set aside. Let 
us look at the matter. 

It is well known that the Old Testament 
prophets predicted the resurrection of the 
Messiah. Our Saviour himself frequently 
affirmed that he would rise again from the 
dead, on the third day. Nay, he was willing 
to rest the proof of his Messiahship upon this 
very point. Now, then, if Christ be not risen 



SECOND SERIES. 



241 



from the dead, he is not the predicted Messiah, 
he is not what he declared himself to be — the 
Son of God, and the only Saviour of the 
world. But, if he be risen from the dead, as 
we have so clearly demonstrated, then is he, 
beyond all doubt, the predicted Messiah, the 
Son of God, and the only Saviour of the world; 
and, consequently, the religion which he 
taught is divinely true. This argument was 
urged with great force by the apostle Peter, on 
the day of Pentecost; and it flashed conviction 
upon three thousand, and was the means of 
their immediate conversion to Christianity. 
And we find the apostle Paul laying great 
stress upon the same thing : indeed, he makes 
the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ that 
upon which the truth or falsehood of the Chris- 
tian religion must depend. Observe his lan- 
guage : " If," says he, " Christ be not risen, 
then is our preaching vain, and your faith is 
also vain." And again, as if he would wish 
all to look at this matter, he uses this strong 
language : "If Christ be not raised, your faith 
is vain : ye are yet in your sins. Then they, 
also, which have fallen asleep in Christ are 
perished; but now," continues he, (and his 
heart kindles at the thought,) ''but now is 
Christ risen from the dead, and become the 
first fruits of them that slept." 

If there be an unbeliever present, I would 
21 



242 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



respectfully request him to take home with 
him the argument for the truth of the Chris- 
tian religion, drawn from the resurrection of 
Christ, and I am bold to say he will find it one 
perfectly convincing, perfectly unanswerable. 
How thankful should we be, that the truth of 
our religion is so clear and plain ! The glo- 
rious superstructure of our faith has many 
massive pillars to sustain it, but the resurrec- 
tion of Christ from the dead is the grand cen- 
tral pillar — "the keystone of the arch, which 
shuts and binds the w T hole." 

Just here, let us for a moment pause, and 
think — Is the Christian religion true ? Then 
let us remember that there is a God in the 
heavens, a pure and holy God, whose eye is 
ever upon us; and that we and this. God must 
meet. Is the Christian religion true ? Then let 
us not forget that we are sinners, and need a 
Saviour; and that " other foundation can no 
man lay than is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 
Is the Christian religion true? Then let us re- 
member that there is a heaven, a world of 
unspeakable and everlasting joy; and also a 
hell, a world of unspeakable and everlasting 
sorrow ; and that we are all, this very moment, 
going towards the one or the other! Is the 
Christian religion true? Then I appeal to 
every candid person, is it wise, is it prudent, 
to neglect the high interests of the soul and 



SECOND SERIES. 



243 



eternity ? The Christian religion is true ! 
Sinner, it is time for you to think ; and suf- 
fer me, just here, to ask, What are your hopes 
for great eternity ? 

III. " Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay," and contrast his humiliation and his 
glory. Draw near, and contemplate the bless- 
ed Jesus, whilst yet he slumbers in the 
tomb. Ah ! see that sacred form, wrapped in 
the winding-sheet! Death's leaden sceptre is 
upon it, and not a solitary ray of divinity 
beams around it! See those blessed hands of 
his; the mark of the rugged nails is there. 
Those blessed feet! There, too, the nails have 
done their dismal work ! Remove that linen, 
which covers his body — alas! the cruel spear 
went deep into his side ! Take away that 
napkin about his head — ah me ! I see it, my 
Saviour wore a thorny crown ! Look at that 
blessed countenance, once beaming with bene- 
volence; now how changed in death! That 
blessed face, once so lovely; now so sadly 
marred! Alas! those blessed eyes of his are 
closed now ! That blessed tongue of his is 
still now ! That blessed bosom is cold now ! 
O my Redeemer ! He lies under the power of 
death, as one turned over to corruption and 
the worm! How deep is this humiliation! 
But wait, this humiliation is only for an ap- 
pointed time. On the third day he is to rise 



244 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



again. And now the morning dawns ; and lo ! 
the silence of the tomb is broken. The bands 
of death are bursting! An angel descends 
from heaven. There is an earthquake. The 
stone is rolled away from the door of the sepul- 
chre — and the blessed Jesus rises ! " And did 
he rise? And did he rise? Hear it, O ye na- 
tions ; hear it, O ye dead ! He rose ! He rose ! 
He burst the bars of death ! Then first hu- 
manity triumphant passed the crystal gates of 
life, and seized eternal joy!" Yes, he rose ! he 
rose ! He ascended up on high — He led cap- 
tivity captive — He received gifts for men — 
He entered the world above. — Lift up your 
heads, O ye gates ; even lift them up, ye ever- 
lasting doors, that the King of glory may come 
in. Lo, now, high in the heavens he is exalt- 
ed, far above all principality and power; an- 
gels gather around him, and all the heavenly 
host unite to crown him Lord of all! 

What a contrast, what an amazing contrast 
have we here! Once in the sepulchre on 
earth, now on his throne in the highest hea- 
vens! Once wrapped in the winding-sheet; 
now arrayed in robes of light and glory ! Once 
a prisoner of the grave, and guarded by Ro- 
man soldiers ; now the Lord of glory, attended 
by the retinue of the heavenly world ! Once 
under the power of death; now the Prince of 
life; death's conqueror! leading death and 



SECOND SERIES. 



245 



hell captive, chained to the wheels of his tri- 
umphant car. Wondrous Saviour! Surely, 
one has well said — " To describe the full glo- 
ries of the Redeemer, requires a new arrange- 
ment of letters — a celelestial alphabet, com- 
posed of suns and constellations!" Communi- 
cants, as in your meditations you cluster 
around the cross and the tomb of Jesus, do not 
forget his glory and renown. As you muse 
upon the words of Him who said, "I am the 
Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd giveth 
up his life for his sheep," don't forget these 
words, which are also his — " I am he that liv- 
eth, and was dead : and behold, I am alive for 
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell 
and of death!" — Blessed Saviour! we will re- 
member thy love ! But again, 

IV. "Come, see the place where the Sa- 
viour lay," and mark the perfection of his 
sacrifice. When the Redeemer came upon 
earth, it was upon a specific errand, it was 
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 
Bowing his head upon the cross, he signifi- 
cantly exclaimed, " It is finished !" And what, 
I ask, is his resurrection from the dead, but 
the unequivocal and authentic response of the 
Everlasting Father — " It is finished !" If the 
atonement were not complete, God the Father 
had never sent an angel to roll back the stone 
from the door of the sepulchre ; nor had he 
21* 



246 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ever sent a cloud, as a chariot, to take his Son 
home to heaven. The release of the prisoner, 
then, is proof of the satisfaction of the debt; 
and his triumphant ascension the crowning 
evidence of the perfection of his sacrifice. 
Some persons inquire, Is the atonement limit- 
ed, or is it general ? Did Christ die for all, or 
only for the elect? To this question I would 
reply, nearly in the words of Calvin : I believe 
that the death of Christ is a perfect sacrifice ; 
is of infinite value, and sufficient for the re- 
demption of the whole world ; but is effectual- 
ly applied only to those that believe. The sun 
in the heavens was made originally for the im- 
mediate and special benefit of our first parents. 
If there were never to be another individual of 
the human family upon earth, it was necessary 
that this luminary should be just what it is, to 
make a perfect day : no additional brightness 
is necessary to furnish all needful light for un- 
numbered millions. Hence the language of 
the Saviour — " God so loved the world, that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
belie veth in him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life." Thank God! the atonement 
has been made. All legal obstructions have 
been taken out of the way ; and now the com- 
mand comes from the Saviour himself — " Go 
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to 
every creature ; he that believeth and is bap- 



SECOND SERIES. 



247 



tized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, 
shall be damned." Yes, all things are now 
ready. Come to the wedding : "The Spirit and 
the bride say, Come. Let him that heareth 
say, Come. Let him that is athirst come. 
And whosoever will, let him take the water of 
life freely." 

" Salvation ! salvation ! 
The joyful sound proclaim, 
Till earth's remotest nation 
Has learned Messiah's name." 

V. "Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay," and mark the stability of the Divine pur- 
poses. Men frequently form, and then change 
their purposes, or say their purposes remain the 
same. Many unforeseen events may prevent 
their accomplishment. Under currents and 
baffling winds may turn aside the mariner 
from his destined port. Floods and droughts 
may defeat the purposes of the planter. Fam- 
ine or pestilence, fire or the fury of the tem- 
pest, may defeat the schemes of the mightiest 
conquerors. But, believe me, my brethren, no 
under currents nor baffling winds, no flood, 
nor drought, nor famine, nor pestilence, nor 
any thing else can change the plans, or defeat 
the purposes of Him, who has " prepared his 
throne in the heavens, and whose kingdom 
ruleth over all." Observe, it was the purpose 
of God the Father that Jesus Christ, the Son 



248 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of his love, should rise from the dead on the 
third day. Various efforts were made to defeat 
this event. When the stone was rolled to the 
door of the sepulchre, the stone was sealed, and 
a watch was set, expressly to prevent his rising 
from the dead. But, O foolish ones ! what is 
the rolling of a stone to the door of the sepul- 
chre, or the setting of a watch, to Him who 
has all power in heaven and on earth; who 
need only speak, and worlds on worlds would 
roll from his creative hand; who need only 
will it, and all would again sink in fiery ruins! 
Yes, my brethren, as nothing stops the ocean's 
tide, or turns aside the bright orb of day ; so 
nothing can stop or turn aside the purposes of 
Him, who worketh all things after the counsel 
of his own will. Has he said it, and shall he 
not do it? Has he commanded, and shall it 
not stand fast? For ever, O Lord, thy word is 
settled in heaven ! 

Here, again, let us for a moment pause, and 
think. Are the purposes of God firm and 
stable? Then let the impenitent sinner trem- 
ble, for according to the Scriptures it is the im- 
mutable purpose of an immutable God, that all 
who die impenitent shall perish ; that all who 
go down to the grave without a Saviour, shall 
be lost to all eternity ! Go, sinner, and stem 
the ocean's tide ; go and roll back the chariot 
of the sun; and when you have done that, 



SECOND SERIES. 



249 



there is one thing you cannot do — yon cannot, 
dying in sin, you cannot escape the damnation 
of hell! Dear fellow-sinner, let me entreat 
you not to make light of this; for the word of 
the Saviour, touching this matter, has gone 
forth ; and surely you have not forgotten his 
solemn declaration — Heaven and earth shall 
pass away, but my words shall not pass away ! 

Are the purposes of God firm and stable? 
then may the penitent sinner be encouraged ; 
and all who will come to Christ may have 
peace and joy in believing; for, according to 
the Scriptures, it is the immutable purpose of 
an immutable God, that every one who truly 
repents shall be forgiven ; and every one who 
comes to Christ, in the exercise of a true and 
living faith, shall be accepted — shall be saved. 

VI. " Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay," and contemplate the security of the 
Church, and the certainty of her ultimate tri- 
umph. The Church is now in the midst of 
enemies, like Daniel in the lion's den, or like a 
lamb surrounded by ravening wolves; but Zion 
enjoys her Monarch's love, and glorious things 
are spoken of the city of our God. According 
to the Scriptures, God is in the midst of her : 
God will help her, and that right early. When 
the Master was laid in the sepulchre, his disci- 
ples, cast down and disquieted, were as sheep 
which had no shepherd. Every thing seemed 



250 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



dark and discouraging. No doubt they were 
tempted to fear that the cause of Christ was 
ruined for ever. O, it was indeed a gloomy 
and a dark day ! but, when the blessed Saviour 
burst the bars of death, and rose triumphant 
from the tomb, all was changed ! Hope sprang 
up afresh, and, so to speak, methinks they 
heard a voice of sweet encouragement, saying, 
Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good 
pleasure to give you the kingdom. Yes, here 
is encouragement. He who can burst the bars 
of death, can build up the broken down walls 
of Zion; and he who can ascend up to heaven, 
in a cloud, can surely raise his Church to glory 
and renown. As no power on earth can 
quench the lights of heaven, or stay the cha- 
riot of the rising sun, even so, no power on 
earth can quench the light of the gospel, or 
hold in check the hastening triumphs of the 
Prince of Peace! The Lord is risen, is risen 
indeed ! He has triumphed over all enemies. 
He has all power in heaven and on earth ; and 
when he sees proper to say to his Church, 
" Arise and shine," then shall the Church put 
on her beautiful garments, and look forth as 
the morning — fair as the morn, clear as the 
sun, and terrible to her enemies as an army 
with banners. Once more : 

VII. " Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay," and think of the bright prospects of the 



SECOND SERIES. 



251 



believer, and his hopes beyond the tomb. As 
Jesus died and rose again, even so them also 
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him, 
when he shall come to be glorified in his 
saints, and admired in all them that believe. 
Very sad and dismal is the change, to mortal 
eye, which passes upon the body of the be- 
liever in the hour of death. The eyes cease 
to sparkle ; the bloom upon the cheek is gone ; 
the features are haggard; the ears are heavy; 
the tongue is dumb; the heart is cold; the 
frame is motionless ! That countenance, upon 
which we were wont to gaze, perhaps, with 
admiration and delight, is now so changed we 
can scarcely recognize it; and that form, once 
so lovely, is now wrapped in the winding- 
sheet, and fit only for the grave, and for the 
worm ! How sad is this change ! How deep 
is this humiliation ! But wait, another change 
is to come : that body is to rise again ; those 
eyes are to sparkle again ; an immortal bloom 
is to be upon that cheek; those features are 
to have a divine beauty ; and that countenance 
is to be lovely as an angel's! Yes, as the poet 
says : 

" Arrayed in glorious grace, 

Shall these vile bodies shine, 
And every shape, and every face 
Look heavenly and divine." 

" We would not have you to be ignorant, bre- 
thren, concerning them which sleep," says the 



252 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



apostle, " that ye sorrow not as others which 
have no hope; for, as Jesus died and rose 
again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus 
will God bring with him ; for the Lord him- 
self shall descend from heaven with a shout, 
with the voice of the archangel and the trump 
of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 
They shall rise in beauty and splendour. 
They shall leave their dusty beds, and appear 
as angels coming out of the ground! Yea, 
they shall rise in the likeness of the Son of 
God. For thus teaches the apostle:— " Our 
conversation is in heaven, from whence also 
we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
who shall change our vile body, that it may 
be fashioned like unto his glorious body, ac- 
cording to the working whereby he is able 
even to subdue all things unto himself." O how 
wonderful is this ! and how cheering to those 
who have looked, in sadness and grief, upon 
the pale, cold, and motionless form of some be- 
loved one, who has fallen asleep in Jesus. 
Has this dear friend fallen under the power of 
death ? And was not even the great Redeem- 
er himself once under the power of death? 
Did you see the loved form of your friend 
wrapped in the winding-sheet, and laid in the 
grave ? And was not the body of your Lord 
also thus arrayed, and laid in a tomb ? Ah ! 
my brethren, this has sanctified death, and the 



SECOND SERIES. 



253 



winding-sheet, and the grave. If Jesus died, 
why should we not be willing to die? And if 
he was laid in the tomb, why should we not 
be willing to have the same bed of repose ? 

" The graves of all his saints he bless'd, 
And softened every bed, ■ 
Where should the dying members rest 
But with their dying Head ?" 

I must say, my dear brethren, that this 
association of the tomb of Jesus, is to me one 
of a peculiarly sacred and pleasing character. 
It does much to strip death of its sting, and 
the grave of its terror. Shall the servant be 
greater than his Master? Shall not the dis- 
ciple, in this particular, be willing to be as his 
Lord? and, especially, as he is to share with 
his Master in the triumphs of a glorious re- 
surrection. It is enough! Amen. So let it 
be !— 

"I would not live alway; no, welcome the tomb, 
Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not its gloom; 
Then, sweet be my rest, till he bid me arise 
To hail him in triumph, descending the skies V 

Blessed be God ! the Lord is risen — is risen 
indeed ! Come, see the place w r here the Lord 
lay! 



22 



254 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



SERMON X. 

CHRISTIAN MORALITY. 

Finally, "brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, 
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are 
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ; if there be any virtue, and if there 
he any praise, think on these things. — Phuippians iv. 8. 

True religion, unquestionably, elevates and 
improves the human character; gives it a 
mingled sweetness and dignity, a perfection 
and excellence, which nothing else possibly 
can. Great talents and heroic achievements 
may add splendour to a name, may secure 
the admiration of a world. But, after all, 
"'Tis moral grandeur which makes the man." 
And what is moral grandeur? What gives it 
beauty and charm, and body, and soul, but 
true religion ? This is the sum and perfection 
of whatsoever things are true, and honest, and 
just, and pure, and lovely, and of good report. 
Look at our blessed Redeemer: no laurels 
of the conqueror encircled his brow; no trium- 
phal arches commemorated his victories ; and 
yet, even as a man, Jesus Christ stands first 
on the rolls of fame! And wherefore? Not 
merely because he spake as never man spake; 
not merely because he wrought stupendous 
miracles: — No, rxor even because of this and 
that distinguished trait of moral character, but 



SECOND SERIES. 



255 



it was because of the assemblage of all virtues; 
because of the clustering of all graces ; — it was 
because of the finished beauty of his whole 
character; for in him, as one well observes, 
was "all light, without a shade; all beauty 
without a spot." Now, such as our Saviour 
was, in all his imitable perfections, should we 
be. The standard is high — I know it— it is 
exceeding high, but it is good for us to have a 
high standard, that we may be thoroughly 
sensible of our own short-comings, and con- 
vinced that we do need a better righteousness 
than our own, and must have it, or where God 
is, we cannot come — where heaven is, we can- 
not dwell. And now, I wish to lay before 
you, for your serious consideration, the points 
of Christian morality presented in our text. 
" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, 
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things 
are just, whatsoever things are pure, what- 
soever things are lovely, whatsoever things are 
of good report ; if there be any virtue, and if 
there be any praise, think on these things." 

I. " "Whatsoever things are true." — Truth is 
a cardinal virtue, and like the name of the ever- 
blessed God, it is most sacred, and must in no 
form or fashion be trifled with. Truth has 
reference to two things — veracity and faithful- 
ness. By veracity, I mean the speaking as 
we think, and feel, and desire ; and by faithful- 



256 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ness, the squaring of our words by our actions. 
Veracity is necessary to social intercourse. If 
it be trampled upon, distrust and suspicion 
would invade every bosom ; the whole frame 
and texture of the social system would be 
deranged, would be dissolved. Veracity is 
essential to a good character ; no matter what a 
man's reputation or standing in other respects 
may be, if he be not a man of strict and un- 
deviating veracity, there is a foul stain upon 
that man's character, which, like the blood 
of the murdered man upon the floor, (as it 
is fabled) nothing can wash out. Moreover, 
veracity is requisite in order to our admittance 
into the world above. " Nothing," says Paul, 
"that worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, 
shall ever enter there." Now, let all seriously 
think upon these things, who practice decep- 
tions of any kind ; those, for example, who 
indulge in flattery, as well as those who deal 
in slander. Those who make hollow-hearted 
professions of friendship, as well as those who 
bear false witness against their neighbour; 
those also who colour narratives, and exagge- 
rate matters of fact, as well as those who tell 
wilful and downright falsehoods : in short, let 
all seriously think upon these things, who, 
whether for amusement trifle with truth, or 
for baser purposes, they trample it under their 
feet ! And here I will just in a passing way 



SECOND SERIE S. 



257 



advert to a practice, which prevails in some of 
our Atlantic cities, but whether in this region 
of country, I know not — the practice of mas- 
ters and mistresses directing their servants to 
say that they are not at home, when at home 
they are ! Whatsoever things are true, says 
our text ; think on these things. 

And now, let us see if we may not find a 
spot, and a very dark spot, too, where nothing 
of the kind was anticipated; I mean, upon 
the escutcheon of the moral man, so called. 
What are we to understand by veracity? The 
speaking as we think, and believe, and feel, 
and desire. Well, this moral man, so called, 
makes confession of sins committed, and there 
is no contrition in his soul. He makes ac- 
knowledgment for mercies received, and there 
is no gratitude in his heart. He prays, like 
Augustine of old, to be delivered from certain 
besetting sins, and, like the same Augustine, 
he is afraid that God will take him at his 
word, for he really does not wish to be de- 
livered from those sins. Now, this man is 
wanting in the very matter of veracity, and 
yet he esteems himself a very moral man. 
But, let us see if we may not find another spot 
on the moral character of the same man. 
Take this case : — He is in the sanctuary. The 
minister reasons well concerning " righteous- 
ness, temperance, and judgment to come;" he 
22* 



258 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



brings the high claims of God and eternity to 
bear strongly upon the understanding, and the 
conscience, and the hearts of his hearers ; this 
man's attention is arrested; his conscience is 
troubled; pungent conviction seizes upon him; 
he feels that he is a sinner; he feels that he is 
exposed to wrath divine; he trembles, like Fe- 
lix, and, like Agrippa, he is almost persuaded 
to be a Christian. Now, mark! Just in this 
frame of mind — really anxious in relation to 
his eternal interests — the services close, and, 
as he retires, he meets with some gay asso- 
ciate, and fearing lest that associate might 
think the sermon had made an impression 
upon his mind, he assumes an air of indiffer- 
ence, makes some witty remark, and forces a 
smile! O the hypocrite! My brethren, be- 
lieve me, there are hypocrites out of the 
Church, as well as in the Church; and many 
of these moral men, so called, are not so very 
moral after all. 

But truth, as we have said, has reference 
not only to veracity, but to faithfulness — the 
squaring of our words by our actions. And 
here, it must be confessed, that there are per- 
sons in this world of whom we might have ex- 
pected better things, who are strangely, mar- 
vellously wanting just in this thing. They 
make promises, they enter into engagements 
— and break their word ! At such a time, this 



SECOND SERIES. 



259 



bill shall be paid ; at such a time, this work 
shall be done; at such a time, this business 
shall certainly be attended to: — confidence is 
reposed, and, to the serious annoyance of 
another, they break their word, they violate 
their engagements; and this they will do, over 
and over again ; and yet such have the effron- 
tery to call themselves moral men ! O shame, 
where is thy blush? If you should know of 
a professor of religion guilty in this matter, I 
have one request to make : " Tell it not in 
Gath; publish it not in the streets of Askelon, 
lest the daughters of the un circumcised re- 
joice; lest the daughters of the Philistines 
triumph!" O tell it not to the man that 
" mouths the heavens," nor to him who " reels 
o'er the full bowl and, especially, tell it not 
to the mere moralist, lest sinners, through all 
their tribes and gradations, should scornfully 
curl the lip, and, pointing to every member of 
the Church, should sneeringly say : " And 
what do ye more than others?" I am aware 
that sometimes promises are made, and unfore- 
seen events place it out of the power of the 
person giving the promise to keep it. In such 
cases, all candid and reasonable persons are 
ready to make all due allowance; but there 
are cases where a promise is made, and that is 
the last of it! This is a sore evil under the 
sun ; and if it be a professor of religion who is 



260 



REVIVAL SERMON S . 



guilty in this matter, be it known that he 
brings a reproach upon the religion of Christ; 
he does much to block up the pathway to hea- 
ven against those around. Let every man, 
and especially every professor of religion, bear 
distinctly in mind, that his word is his bond, 
and that truth, as we have said, like the name 
of the ever-blessed God, is most sacred, and 
must in no form or fashion be trifled with. 
But, let us again examine, and see if we may 
not find yet another spot upon the escutcheon 
of the moral man, so called. If we are to 
believe him, he never breaks his word. He 
would scorn to do such a thing ! Now, let us 
draw aside the curtain, and tell you a little of 
the secret history of that man. He w T as laid 
upon a bed of sickness on a certain occasion. 
A physician was sent for in haste. The phy- 
sician came, felt his pulse, looked very gravely, 
and prescribed strong remedies. The patient 
was alarmed, thought himself in great danger; 
and knowing well that he was not prepared to 
meet his Maker, he begged a friend to pray 
for him. He did more than this; he made 
a promise — he made a solemn vow to his 
Maker, that if his life was spared he would 
devote his remaining days to the service of 
God. Well, his life was spared. "Within a 
few weeks he was restored to good health 
again. Shall I tell you w T hat that man did? 



SECOND SERIES. 



261 



He violated his promise; he broke his vow; 
he lied ! — not unto men, but unto God ! When 
the speaker said that such a man lied, you 
thought him rather harsh and rough in his 
language; but, when he added, "Not unto 
men, but unto God," he softened the phrase. 
And is it come to this? To lie to a fellow- 
creature is a serious affair; but to lie unto 
God is a small matter! O when will men 
view things in their true light ! and when will 
the moral man, so called, understand, that 
when weighed in the balances of the sanc- 
tuary, he is found wanting! 

II. "Whatsoever things are honest" — semna, 
in the original; which means, that which is 
worthy of respect and veneration. The Chris- 
tian religion, presenting an upright course of 
moral conduct, based upon sound and evan- 
gelical principles, commends itself to every 
man's judgment, whether he be righteous or 
wicked. For example, let a man of sterling 
worth, of consistent Christian character, be 
unexpectedly throw r n into the company of the 
intemperate or profane, amd much mistaken am 
I, if we do not immediately see the command- 
ing influence of that man's dignity of charac- 
ter : 

" So spake the cherub : 

Abashed the devil stood, 

And felt how awful goodness is — felt, 
And pined his loss." 



262 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



" Let no man despise thee," said Paul to 
Titus; that is, so live, that no man can despise 
thee. Maintain the dignity and consistency 
of the Christian character in all companies, in 
all circumstances. Be always ready to say, by 
word and deed, "I am a Christian," and, I 
am not ashamed to own my Lord." Christian 
dignity! that will ever command respect But 
think not that dignity and pride are the same 
thing. They are widely different. Our Sa- 
viour maintained the dignity of a master at 
the very time that he washed his disciples' 
feet. " Whatsoever things are honest" — sem- 
na — worthy of respect or veneration, " think 
on these things." 

III. "Whatsoever things are just." — Here 
the apostle brings to view, and recommends 
another cardinal virtue — justice; and by jus- 
tice I mean a disposition to respect all rights, a 
disposition to meet all claims, which are well 
founded. It is a very comprehensive prin- 
ciple, and will serve to regulate our conduct, 
not only in commercial and pecuniary matters, 
but also in matters*of every kind. If, for 
example, I have a just claim to a person's 
gratitude, or respect, or service, my claim is 
just as binding upon him, as if it had reference 
to his person, or to his estate. And now, see 
how very defective some persons are who have 
a very good opinion of themselves. This 



SECOND SERIES. 



263 



proud man will not cheat the poor, but he will 
trample them under foot. It is to render to 
all their dues. This is what Peter says. 
Render to all their dues: tribute to whom 
tribute, fear to whom fear, honour to whom 
honour — and this falls in with the language 
of our blessed Saviour : Whatsoever ye would 
that others do unto you, do ye the same unto 
them likewise. This golden precept or rule, 
was so much admired by the emperor Alex- 
ander Severus, that he inscribed it upon his 
closet, quoted it in his judgments, and for the 
sake of it, honoured Christ and favoured his 
followers; and if so much admired by a pagan 
Roman emperor, how much more ought it to 
be admired and practised by those who have 
formally subscribed to the heavenly and su- 
blime morality of the Son of God ; and yet, 
how is the principle, as we have already inti- 
mated, treated with perfect disregard! This 
reckless slanderer will not rob his neighbour 
of his purse, but he will rob him of his charac- 
ter. This vile ingrate will repay money 
borrowed, but he will withhold gratitude that 
is due. This outrageous husband will grant 
pecuniary support to his wife, but by his harsh- 
ness, his unkindness, his neglect, he will break 
her heart. Is this according to the golden 
rule? or is this "to render to all their dues?" 



264 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



And now, what if I prove that no unconverted 
sinner is a just or morally honest man? I did 
not affirm it— I only said, what if I proved it. 
I will state a case; judge ye, you have an 
understanding as well as the speaker. Here 
is an individual— A. and B. we will suppose, 
have claims against him, equally well founded. 

A. has a claim for one hundred dollars, B. for 
one thousand. The individual referred to 
likes Mr. A., but does not like Mr. B. Well, 
Mr. A. presents his claim. "O, certainly, sir," 
says the individual, and taking out his pocket- 
book, he settles the claim to the smallest 
fraction. Very well, good as far as it goes. 
But when A. retires, here comes Mr. B. and 
presents his claim, and we will suppose that 
the said individual has no disposition to meet 
the claims of B., but is disposed to put him 
off as long as possible. Is this debtor a just, 
or morally honest man? I think not; for 
what is justice, or moral honesty ? Is it not a 
disposition to respect all rights— a disposition 
to meet all claims well founded ? But, accord- 
ing to the supposition made, the individual 
spoken of has a disposition to meet the claims 
of A. but no disposition to meet the claims of 

B. ; certainly he is not a just, or morally hon- 
est man ! Now, let A. represent man, and Be 
the ever-blessed God. The moral man, so 



SECOND SERIES. 



265 



called, is willing to meet and settle the claims 
of his fellow creatures. But when the claims 
of God are presented, these claims are not 
respected; the unrenewed sinner has no dis- 
position to meet them, but is disposed to put 
them off as long as possible, saying, " Go thy 
way for this time, when I have a convenient 
season, I will call for thee." Is this a just, or 
morally honest man ? And now see the moral 
man, so called, like the eagle, soaring aloft, 
and smitten in mid-heavens, he comes lumber- 
ing down to the ground, all his pride and 
plumage laid low in the dust ! I tell you the 
truth, my brethren, I lie not; these mere 
moralists are " weighed in the balance and 
found wanting!" Only let them go into the 
eternal world with no better righteousness 
than that, and, mark my word, where God 
is they cannot come; where heaven is they 
can never dwell. Yes, these moral men 
must perish ! Mistake me not. I am not 
crying down morality. Heaven forbid! But 
if by scriptural and common sense argument 
I can show, that the most amiable, and the 
very best of the unconverted are weighed and 
found wanting, how certain is the perdition of 
those who do not even come up to their mark ! 
How important it is to have a better righteous- 
ness than our own; for, "by the deeds of the 
law shall no flesh living be justified." 
23 



266 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



IV. " Whatsoever things are pure." — The 
Christian religion would not only regulate our 
outward conduct, but would lay its hand upon 
the springs of action, and would control the 
whole moral man. It would have us to be 
pure in our motives, pure in our principles, 
pure in all our thoughts and imaginations, 
pure in our hearts — as it is written, " Blessed 
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 
Now, if there be a single individual present 
who bases his hopes of heaven upon the excel- 
lence of his moral character, I would ask him 
a question or two. Are you pure within? 
No evil thoughts? no evil feelings? no evil 
desires ? Ah ! believe me, the heart of the 
best man on earth is defiled with sin : yea, 
according to the prophet, is " deceitful above 
all things and desperately wicked." Hence 
the strong language of Isaiah: " All our right- 
eousnesses are as filthy rags." "What an idea 
this is ! and how effectually does it destroy the 
hopes of the unregenerate man ! I suppose a 
more virtuous man never lived than the pro- 
phet Isaiah ; and yet he hesitated not to say, 
that all his personal righteousness was only 
as "filthy rags." Now in connection with 
this, take this idea: — Heaven is a place of 
unsullied purity. The angels are robed in 
spotless white. The spirits of the just are also 
robed in white. They have not, it is true, the 



SECOND SERIES. 



267 



white robes of innocence, such as angels wear, 
but robes equally beautiful and white — robes 
"washed and made white in the blood of the 
Lamb." Now, only think, this man attempts 
to enter the gates of heaven having no bet- 
ter righteousness than his own — that is, he 
attempts to enter, clothed in rags, in filthy 
rags ! Will he be permitted to enter ? I sus- 
pect not! Ah! my hearers, believe me, we 
must have a better righteousness than our 
own; and verily, without the washing of re- 
generation, and the renewing of the Holy 
Ghost, we can never, never enter into the 
heavenly world; for thus saith the glorious 
Son of God, "Ye must be born again." Yes, 

" Our nature's totally depraved, 
The heart a sink of sin, 
Without a change, we can't be saved, 
We must be born again." 

Immortal man! Think upon these things, 
make no mistake. If a man dies, can he live 
again ? Once lost, lost for ever ! 

V. " Whatsoever things are lovely." — There . 
are certain things which give a beauty and a 
charm, a finish to the character, and these 
things we are to think upon and show forth in 
our whole lives and conversation. Among 
these things which are "lovely," I would 
mention a sweet and even temper, mild and 



268 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



unassuming manners, a courteous and polite 
behaviour, kind feelings, a generous heart, a 
sympathizing spirit — that which leads its pos- 
sessor not only to rejoice with those that 
rejoice, but to weep with those that weep. 
And here let me lay before you some of these 
" lovely things," in all the charms of a tangible 
exemplification. I have seen the young man, 
of brilliant talents, rising up and showing 
respect to the man of silvery locks — youth 
bending before age. This was lovely. I 
have seen the maiden, of many charms, in 
the sabbath-school room, with her interesting 
charge around her, whilst she was engaged in 
a work which the angels of God themselves 
might delight in. This was lovely. I have 
seen husbands who loved their wives and were 
not bitter against them; and, I have seen 
wives who were careful to render to their hus- 
bands the obedience of love; this, too, was 
lovely. I have seen parents who watched 
over their children with Christian anxiety, 
guarding their morals, with all care, anxious 
to promote their spiritual as well as temporal 
prosperity. Yea, I have seen them anxious to 
" allure to brighter worlds, and lead the way f* 
and I have seen children — both sons and 
daughters, very affectionate and respectful to 
their aged parents — consulting their wishes, 
anticipating their wants, endeavouring to strew 



SECOND SERIES. 269 

their pathway with flowers, and cheer them in 
the evening of their days. This was lovely. 
I have seen brothers and sisters remarkably 
kind and affectionate to each other. They had 
no jarrings, indulged in no petty contradictions. 
They really loved each other, and desired to 
make each other happy. It was a lovely 
sight ; like the family of Martha and Mary, and 
Lazarus, each of whom Jesus loved; yes, it 
was lovely a sight — a little type of heaven ! I 
have seen masters who were careful to give 
unto their servants that which was just and 
equal, knowing that they had also a Master in 
heaven; and I have seen servants who were 
very conscientious in obeying their masters, as 
required to do in the sacred volume. I have 
seen the faithful pastor, in the midst of the 
people of his charge, as a father in the midst of 
his family, every member of which was dear 
to his heart: and I have seen a whole congre- 
gation, who were always respectful and kind 
to their pastor; received him into their dwell- 
ings with a smile; heeded his counsels and 
instructions, and neglected not his temporal 
wants. — I have dwelt the longer on such 
things, for two reasons: first, because such 
matters are too rarely adverted to in the pul- 
pit; and secondly, because some professors of 
religion are not as consistent and lowly as they 
should be. Of Naaman, it was said, "Now 
23* 



270 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Naaman, captain of the host of the king of 
Syria, was a great man with his master, and 
honourable, because that by him the Lord 
had granted deliverance unto Syria; moreover, 
he was a mighty man in valour, but he was a 
leper." So it is with many around us; they 
have some fine traits of character, have many 
excellencies, but alas! poor human nature, 
they have some sad imperfections. I saw a 
talented minister of the gospel once : — he was 
zealous and active, and he was instrumental in 
doing much good, but I thought he was rather 
domineering and dictatorial. Alas! poor hu- 
man nature ! I saw another, he was not domi- 
neering or dictatorial. No! he was a gentle 
spirit; he had much of the milk of human 
kindness, but I thought he was not zealous as 
a minister ; he was not earnest as a preacher ; 
he was rather cold, I thought, rather inclined 
to snowing upon the people. His words were 
very beautiful, but it seemed to me they were 
more like flakes of snow falling from his lips, 
than nails and goads, as they should have been. 
I saw another minister of the gospel ; he was 
a young man, really eloquent and interesting, 
as a preacher, but I thought he was rather too 
fond of being nursed ; moreover, some persons 
thought he was somewhat spiced with vanity. 
I saw an elder of the church ; he was a promi- 
nent man, a man of some standing and influ- 



SECOND SERIES. 



271 



ence; but I thought he was rather covetous 
and worldly-minded. His subscriptions to re- 
ligious and benevolent objects were not up to 
his means. I saw another ; he was not covet- 
ous — no; he was a generous hearted man, he 
had a large soul, and seemed never to forget 
the words of the Master, " It is more blessed to 
give than to receive;" but I thought he was 
hasty in his temper. Perhaps his mother had 
never taught him that "He that is slow r to 
anger is better than the mighty, and he that 
ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city." 
I saw another member of the church ; he was 
not hasty in his temper, he was not easily 
ruffled in his temper, but he was sadly ineffi- 
cient; he did nothing to cause his influence to 
be felt ; he was quite an amiable man, but in 
the church he was much of a cipher, and a 
drone. I saw a mother in Israel; she was an 
active member of the church, and was some- 
thing of a Dorcas, moreover, her house was 
the ministers' hotel, she was very hospitable, 
but at times she was rather fretful and cen- 
sorious, and would occasionally speak rather 
too freely about her neighbours. And I saw 
yet another female member of the church ; she 
was lively and pleasant ; had some fine traits 
of character, but she was rather fond of finery 
and parade; perhaps she had overlooked what 
the apostle James said about good works being 



272 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



a better adornment for a daughter of Zion than 
gold, or pearls, or costly array. 

My pictures are not entirely fanciful ; they 
are drawn from real life. Alas, poor human 
nature! Some persons have many things to 
recommend them; but there are some sad 
drawbacks. Indeed, there are some, who, al- 
though members of the Church, are by no 
means consistent members — and some are 
even positively unamiable. They think upon 
whatsoever things are true, and honest, and 
just, and pure, but they seem to forget that 
the apostle adds, " whatsoever things are love- 
ly." They are not lovely in their temper and 
spirit, they are not lovely in their manners: 
some are morose, and peevish, and fretful. 
Some are too uncharitable, and some too easily 
offended ; and some, again, are too penurious. 
They are selfish, and seem to live for them- 
selves alone. They do not " adorn the doc- 
trine of God our Saviour." They rather bring 
a reproach upon the religion which they pro- 
fess. They cause " the way of truth to be 
evil spoken of," and confirm sinners in their 
wicked ways. I recollect a gentlemen once- 
made this remark to me, " Sir, rny wife is a 
member of the Church; as for myself, I make 
no pretensions to religion; and yet, to tell you 
the truth, I must say I think my wife is just as 
peevish, and fretful, and worldly-minded as I 



SECOND SERIES. 



273 



am !" Daughter of Zion ! beware how you 
give your husband any just cause to make a 
remark of this kind. Remember you are to 
win him to Christ by a " chaste conversation, 
coupled with fear." "Whatsoever things are 
lovely — think on these things." O, that all 
who have named the name of Christ would 
aim at being consistent Christians, and then 
would the most scornful see that true religion 
does indeed elevate and improve the human 
character; that it does indeed come to make 
better husbands and better wives, better pa- 
rents and better children, better masters and 
better servants. What a powerful argument 
would this be for the truth of the Christian 
religion ! 

" So let our lips and lives express, 
The holy gospel we profess ; 
So let our works and virtues shine, 
To prove the doctrine all divine." 

One item more : 

VI. "Whatsoever things are of good re- 
port." — There are certain things of which all 
persons approve, whether rich or poor, learned 
or unlearned, righteous or wicked. Permit 
me to mention some of these things, and cor- 
dially recommend them to your serious re- 
gard. First: Uniformity is of good report. 
The changeling in sentiment or conduct, no- 
body respects; for it seems that he wants 



274 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



judgment to form an opinion, or, forming an 
opinion, he wants firmness to maintain it. He 
that is our friend to-day, and our enemy to- 
morrow; one thing at this time, and quite ano- 
ther at another time — who can respect such 
a one? No! we all like the man, who, amid 
all the scenes of life, " holds on the even tenor 
of his way," presenting an humble imitation 
of Him, of whom it is said, " Jesus Christ, the 
same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." My 
brethren, be uniform. Be not carried about 
by diverse winds of doctrines. Be not of the 
number of those who are fickle-minded, and 
given to change. Be consistent and firm. 
Another thing of good report is Catholicism. 
I use this word for want of a better. By Ca- 
tholicism, I mean the opposite of a narrow, 
contracted, bigoted, sectarian spirit; a spirit 
which, whilst it would lead its possessor most 
earnestly to "contend for the faith once de- 
livered to the saints," would by no means lead 
him to confine all the sweet charities of his 
religion to one sect or denomination. Some 
persons can see nothing good except in their 
own particular church. In this matter their 
views are very limited — like the " fly, whose 
feeble ray scarce spreads an inch around !" 
If their church is prospering, they think that 
the millennium is just at hand ! if their church 
is declining, they think, surely, all religion is 



SECOND SERIES. 



275 



dying out! This spirit is unworthy of an 
enlightened Christian. No! we like the man 
who has elevated and expanded views, who 
looks upon the Church of Christ as a fruit- 
bearing tree, that has many branches, each 
bearing at least some good fruit; or, like the 
grand army of patriots and volunteers in time 
of war — one army, and yet composed of differ- 
ent companies, and fighting under one and the 
same banner. If I ever were a bigoted secta- 
rian in my feelings, I have been cured, and 
the process was a simple one. I heard of a 
death: " How did the man die?" " O," says 
the messenger, " I never witnessed such a 
death before ! It really seemed as if the room 
was filled with the angels of God!" "Did he 
die in his senses?" " Perfectly in his senses." 
"Did he speak?" "Yes, sir, and until his 
voice was lost in death!" "About what did 
he speak?" "About the blessed Jesus, sir. I 
heard him frequently say, 1 Precious Saviour! 
precious Saviour!' and, just as he was breath- 
ing his last, he looked up, and, with a counte- 
nance radiant with joy, he exclaimed, 1 Come, 
Lord Jesus, come quickly!' Saying this, he 
closed his eyes, and his spirit took its upward 
flight." " Well, truly, that was a happy death ! 
and who was he?" "He was a Presbyterian" 
Very well, and shall I not love those of my 
own communion, seeing God loves them ? But 



276 REVIVAL SERMONS. 

I heard of another death. " How did he die ?" 
" O, sir, it was truly a happy death." " Did 
he speak?" "Yes, sir, and brought us all to 
tears." "And what did he say?" " O, sir, he 
said a great many beautiful things; but his 
last words were these, 

i Jesus can make a dying bed 

Feel soft as downy pillows are/ u 

"Well, that certainly was a happy death. 
And he was a Presbyterian — was he not?" 
" No, sir." " Not a Presbyterian !" " What, 
then?" "He was a Baptist." "A Baptist! 
Is it possible ! Very well : be it so. If my 
Heavenly Father showers the roses of heaven 
upon the bed of the dying Baptist, and takes 
him as a child home to glory, this is my 
brother in Christ: I hope to meet him in hea- 
ven !" I heard of yet another death ! " Was 
it happy ?" " Most happy." " Did he speak ?" 
" Yes, sir. There were a great many in the 
room around his dying bed; — and he took 
each one by the hand, and gave the parting 
charge to meet him in heaven. All at once a 
sweet smile came over his countenance. He 
looked up, and seemed to be gazing with rap- 
ture upon some heavenly object, and ex- 
claimed, 'Glory! glory!' — and then w T e heard 
him in a whisper say, ' Come, Lord Jesus, 
come quickly! 5 Saying this, his head sank 



SECOND SERIES. 



277 



upon the pillow; and we all remarked that 
we never saw a more lovely corpse.' 7 " Cer- 
tainly that was a happy death ! Was he not 
a Presbyterian?" "No." "Then, surely, he 
must have been a Baptist?" "No, he was 
not!" "What then?" "He was a Metho- 
dist." "A Methodist!— Very well. If God 
accepts him, so will I. If my Heavenly 
Father sends down Elijah's triumphant cha- 
riot to take this dying Methodist to heaven; 
he, also, is my brother; we are bought with 
the same precious blood ; we are sanctified by 
the same Divine Spirit; we are members of 
the same household of faith ; I hope to shake 
hands with him in glory, and there unite 
with him in one sweet and everlasting' song — 
'the song of Moses and the Lamb!' 'Grace 
be with all them that love our Lord Jesus 
Christ in sincerity.' " 

" The saints on earth, and all the dead, 
But one communion make; 
All join in Christ, their living Head, 
And of his grace partake/ ' 

" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are 
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever 
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, 
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever 
things are of good report; if there be any vir- 
tue, and if there be any praise, think on these 
things. Amen." 
24 



278 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



SERMON XI. 

A SERMON TO YOUNG MEN. 

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him 
with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind : for the Lord searcheth all hearts, 
and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou seek him, he 
will he found of thee ; hut if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.— 
1 Chron. xxviii. 9. 

These words form a part of David's farewell 
address, or dying charge, to Solomon, his son, 
and heir of his throne. Notwithstanding his 
many and acknowledged faults, David was, 
•upon the w 7 hole, both a great and a good man. 
He was a great man, for he had risen from 
obscurity to distinction; from being a shep- 
herd boy to be a king, and a powerful one. 
But he w T as also a good man. Not to mention 
other things, the book of Psalms, chiefly pen- 
ned by him, is a memorial to his praise; a 
monument more beautiful than marble, more 
enduring than brass. And what, my young 
friends, I wish you not to forget, is this, that 
he devoted the morning of his days, as well as 
all his subsequent life, to the service of his 
Maker. Yes, piety adorned his youth; it 
flourished in manhood; and was to him a 
crown of glory in his old age. And now, 
having reigned over Jerusalem forty years, and 
knowing that the time of his departure was 



SECOND SERIES. 



279 



near at hand, like Jacob, the venerable patri- 
arch, and Moses, the saint of God, and Joshua, 
the son of Nun, he devotes the last closing 
scene of his life to the cause of piety and of 
God, and in his case emphatically, most lovely 
was the closing scene; lovelier far than the 
sunset scene at the close of the most placid 
day. See the mild, bright sun, sinking in the 
west, painting with rosy colours the fleecy 
clouds, which, here and there, are seen re- 
posing upon the bosom of the clear blue sky. 
It is a beauteous, a lovely sight, and one upon 
which the eye loves to linger; but the last, 
closing scene in the history of a good man, 
when his sun of life is sinking in mild splen- 
dour to rise in more effulgent glory in another 
and a better world, has a beauty and a loveli- 
ness peculiarly its own. One has said, 

u The chamber where the good man meets his fate, 
Is privileged, beyond the common walks of virtuous life, 
Quite on the verge of heaven V 

Does he speak? Every eye is fixed; every 
ear is attentive; all around are anxious to 
catch the last words which fall from his 
quivering lips; they are received as the coun- 
sels of wisdom and experience — almost as the 
voice of an oracle, or angel of God. But the 
case before us is invested with peculiar inte- 
rest, for it is not only a good man that is about 
to leave the world, but it is a great man, a 



280 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



mighty man, a warrior, a conqueror, and a 
king. This is he, who, even when a youth, 
was more lauded than Saul, what time re- 
turning as the vanquisher of Goliah, he was 
met by those who, with the timbrel and the 
dance, uttered his praises, saying, " Saul hath 
slain his thousands, and David his tens of 
thousands !" Yes, it is the far renowned 
David, the king of Israel, that is about to sink 
into the cold embrace of death. After the 
example of other Old Testament worthies who 
had gone before him, he gives his farewell 
address, he gives his dying charge. Picture 
to yourself the scene ; the chief men of Jeru- 
salem, and the mighty men, and the princes 
of the blood, are assembled in the palace of the 
dying monarch. There, on his royal couch, 
is the venerable man, with his cheeks fur- 
rowed, and his locks silvery with age ! and 
there stands that young man, Solomon, his 
son, in youthful bloom ; Solomon, the heir of 
David's throne. What silence reigns! And 
now the king speaks; first he addresses the 
nobles of his court, giving them political coun- 
sel; and then he turns his eyes upon Solomon, 
and upon him, now, every eye is fixed. Solo- 
mon, with profound veneration waits to hear 
his father's charge. It falls upon his ear: 
"And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the 
God of thy father, and serve him with a per- 



SECOND SERIES. 



281 



feet heart, and with a willing mind, for the 
Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth 
all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou 
seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou 
forsake him he will cast thee off for ever !" 
How unexpected is this language ! How wide- 
ly different from what the nobles around, and 
no doubt, from what Solomon himself antici- 
pated. Certainly he will make a charge such 
as might be looked for from the mouth of a 
dying warrior and a king. No doubt he will 
speak after this fashion : — Solomon, your father 
rose from obscurity to distinction-— from being 
a shepherd boy to be a king. Your father has 
fought many battles, achieved many victories ; 
Solomon, you are to succeed your father upon 
the throne ; cherish a martial spirit, push for- 
ward your victories, enlarge your dominions, 
twine laurels around your brow, and thus add 
new splendours to David's th rone. No ! not a 
word of this kind is uttered. What does he 
say? Let us hear it again: "And thou, Solo- 
mon, my son, know thou the God of thy 
father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and 
with a willing mind, for the Lord searcheth 
all hearts, and understandeth all the imagi- 
nations of the thoughts ; if thou seek him he 
will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him 
he will cast thee off for ever!" Ah! my 
young friends — ye young men whose hearts 
24* 



282 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



are set upon the world, and the things of the 
world ; ye who are pressing after the riches of 
the world, and the honours of the world, and 
the pleasures of the world, here you may see 
how these things appear in a dying hour, how 
they are viewed even by a dying warrior and a 
king. Riches are nothing- — honour, fame, all 
worldly splendour, all worldly glory — nothing. 
Religion looms up then. The favour of God, 
that is everything; all else lades away like 
twinkling stars before the rising sun. And 
how was this great truth confirmed by Solo- 
mon himself too, when the hour of his de- 
parture drew near. You recollect his lan- 
guage, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.' 9 
And again: Let us hear, says he, the conclu- 
sion of the whole matter: — " Fear God and 
keep his commadments, for this is the whole 
duty of man, for God shall bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing, whe- 
ther it be good or whether it be evil." Believe 
me, young men, the time is coming when 
these views will be our views. God grant we 
may all be prepared for that hour ! 

There are duties and considerations pre- 
sented in our text, which claim the attention 
of all, but particularly of young men. 

I. Duties. — They are expressed in these 
words : " My son, know thou the God of thy 
father, and serve him with a perfect heart and 



SECOND SERIES. 



283 



with. a willing mind." First, "know thou the 
God of thy father." Taking it for granted 
that your parents are pious, see to it that 
you walk in their footsteps. The counsel of 
Eliphaz is good counsel: "Acquaint now thy- 
self with God, and be at peace with him, 
thereby good shall come unto you." Some of 
you, doubtless, covet knowledge of some kind 
or other ; some of you wish to know how you 
can get riches, how you can secure fame ; how 
you can multiply friends ; how you can enjoy 
and prolong life. Believe me, there is a kind 
of knowledge better than all this. "My son, 
know thou the God of thy father." And why 
should you seek to know him? Because he 
is the only living and true God. He is your 
Creator, the source of your being ; he is your 
Preserver ; his hand is underneath and around 
you; it is in him that you live, and move, 
and have your being. He is your Benefactor ; 
to him you are indebted for every comfort, 
every enjoyment, every breath ; and he is 
your final Judge — you and God must meet, 
and it would be well for you to know who he 
is, and what he is, before you are called into 
his presence. You should know him, not as 
your fancy portrays him, but as the Bible re- 
veals him; as a God, not only good, but just; 
not only merciful, but holy ; a God, not only 
long-suffering, but who will by no means clear 



284 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



the guilty : in short, you are to know him in 
all the beauty, and harmony, and perfection of 
his whole character. O think, how great and 
glorious a being He is! and how happy are 
those who have him for their friend and pro- 
tector! How happy are those who, in the 
exercise of the spirit of adoption, can address 
him in this beautiful language: "Abba, Fa- 
ther!" and who, after contemplating his power 
and grandeur can say, with holy joy and 
exultation, "This God is our God, for ever 
and ever, He will be our guide, even unto 
death !" But, you are not only to know God; 
you are, secondly, to serve him. What avails 
knowledge, if it does not prompt to obedience? 
You respect your father's friend, why not 
serve your father's God? Do you ask what 
you are to do? You are in the first place to 
give him your heart. This is expressly com- 
manded, as it is written in the book of Pro- 
verbs, "My son, give me thine heart;" and 
this is implied in this language of our text, 
" serve him with a perfect heart, and with a 
willing mind." Yes, your heart must be 
yielded up; "you must love the Lord your 
God with all your heart;" you must love him 
more than you love father, or mother, or bro- 
ther, or sister ; more than you love your pro- 
perty, or your sins, or your life. Ah ! this is 
the main thing required- — the heart ; the seat of 



SECOND SERIES. 



285 



the affections ; let this be right, and all will 
be right; for love is an all controlling prin- 
ciple. 

" 'Tis love which makes our willing feet ; 
In swift obedience move; 
The devils know and tremble too; 
But Satan cannot love." 

But, just here, I wish to remind you of 
certain things, which must not be forgotten. 
First : You must serve some master or other. 
" What," says the apostle, "know ye not that 
to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, 
his servants ye are whom ye obey?" And 
what says our Saviour? "He that commit- 
teth sin is the servant of sin." My second re- 
mark is this: "You cannot serve two mas- 
ters." This is what our Saviour, also, ex- 
pressly affirms : "No man," says he, "can serve 
two masters." And again: "Ye cannot serve 
God and Mammon." These things being so, 
let it be remembered that the two masters who 
claim your service, are God and the world, and 
you must have one or the other; and, using 
the language of Joshua, I would say, " Choose 
you, this day, whom you will serve." Now, 
if this choice were left to your pious mother, 
or to your pious sister, or to the dying Chris- 
tian, or to the heavenly ones in glory, the 
choice would soon be made, and I am sure it 
would be a wise choice, and one which you 



286 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



would never regret. But no one is permitted 
to choose for you; each of you must make 
your own choice; and I would advise you to 
act discreetly in this matter, for the choice 
which you now make may be ratified in hea- 
ven, and settled upon you for ever. Have you 
a regard for the matter of justice? I hope you 
have. Then, sit in judgment upon the claims 
of these two masters; whose claims are the 
best, God or the world? You know very well 
that the claims of your Maker are the best, 
infinitely the best. Then choose accordingly. 
And have you a regard for your own happi- 
ness? Then sit in judgment upon the charac- 
ter of these two masters— which is the best 
master? One is good, the other is bad. One 
is the very kindest of all masters. He will 
require nothing of you but what is perfectly 
reasonable; nothing but what is directly cal- 
culated to promote your best interests, and 
your true happiness; moreover, he will be 
kind to you in the hour of affliction, and will 
not forsake you in the hour of death : nay, 
more, he will finally take you to heaven, and 
make you happy there, unspeakably happy, 
and happy for ever. With regard to the other 
master, the world, or the devil, is he a kind 
master? This master is of all others the 
worst. He is a cruel master, a tyrant ! His 
requirements are oftentimes most unreason- 



SECOND SERIES. 287 

able, and he cares not for the interest nor the 
happiness of his servants; not unfrequently he 
will require what is opposed to principle and 
conscience. I will give an example. Alexan- 
der Hamilton was challenged by Aaron Burr to 
fight a duel. This method of settling disputes 
was not in accordance with the feelings or judg- 
ment of General Hamilton ; nay, it was in di- 
rect opposition to his principles and conscience. 
He left this upon record. I have read what 
may be termed his written protest. The 
amount of what he wrote was this : that he did 
not approve of duelling, that it was abhorrent 
to all his feelings ; that it was against his prin- 
ciples and conscience : but, he added, M the 
world expects it; the world demands it, and 
therefore I must accept the challenge." And 
he did accept it, and did fight; and sad to tell, 
he fell ! was suddenly snatched from his fami- 
ly, and laid in an untimely grave. And now, 
listen to the colloquy between the master 
and the servant, in such a case. " Fight the 
duel," says this stern master. "It is against 
my conscience," replies the servant. "Who 
cares for your conscience? Fight the duel!" 
" Well, but my master, I have a lovely wife ; 
she is the jewel of my heart ; and if I should 
fall in single combat, she could not survive it, 
she would go down broken-hearted to the 



288 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



grave." "And what of that? Let your wife 
go down broken-hearted to the grave! Who 
cares for your wife? Fight the duel, I com- 
mand you!" "But, my master, I have a 
number of dear children; they are young and 
tender, and as yet unprovided for; and if I 
should at this time be cut off, they may be 
thrown upon the cold charities of an unfeeling 
world ; they may even become paupers, and 
how can I bear to think of the evil that must 
come upon them?" "Who cares for your 
children? what if they become paupers, and 
even vagabonds ? who cares for that? Fight 
the duel, I again command you!" "But, O 
my hard master, listen to me. My mother 
taught me, that after death comes the judg- 
ment. I am not prepared to die, and if I 
should be slain in this combat, I fear that my 
poor soul may be lost, may be damned to all 
eternity." "And, pray, who cares for your 
soul? who cares if your soul should be lost and 
damned to all eternity? I care not; that 
is a very small matter. Fight the duel, I 
command you ! — fight the duel!" O what a 
cruel master this is ! What a tyrant ! He has 
no regard for your principles, or feelings, or 
conscience; no, nor even for the salvation of 
your soul. And is this the master of your 
choice? Are you willing to wear his iron 



SECOND SERIES. 



289 



yoke? Well, when you are crushed and 
ruined, whom will you have to blame, but 
yourself? O how you will reproach yourself! 
How you will charge yourself with madness 
and folly, in rejecting the kindest of all mas- 
ters, and preferring one who is a hard, unfeel- 
ing and cruel tyrant ! Remember, if you make 
a bad choice, you yourself must suffer for it : 
and I would now say to you, as Paul did to 
the Philippian jailor, who drew his sword and 
would have killed himself, "Do thyself no 
harm." "My son, know thou the God of thy 
father, and serve him." Take his yoke upon 
you, it is not galling, it is easy ; take his bur- 
den upon you, it is not heavy, it is light. Yes, 
his service is a reasonable service, it is per- 
fect freedom. This choice, you will never 
repent. Believe me, the ways of wisdom are 
ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are 
peace. Believe me, or rather believe Him who 
cannot lie — "Godliness is profitable unto all 
things, having promise of the life that now is, 
and of that which is to come." Have you made 
this choice in your own heart ? Then, in the 
next place make an open avowal, a public pro- 
fession of it; yes, come out from the world, 
take your stand openly upon the Lord's side. 
Let your conduct speak this language, 

" Fm not ashamed to own my Lord, 
Nor to defend his cause." 

25 



290 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Have moral courage. Be willing that the 
whole world shall know that you are a Chris- 
tian, that you are a disciple of the Lord Jesus; 
and that, God helping you, you are determined 
to serve him faithfully till you die. Conse- 
crate to his service your time, your talents, 
your property, your influence, your all. Let 
your language be the language of the con- 
verted soul, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to 
do?" And if any of you be called to serve him 
in the ministry of the word, yield promptly; 
yield cheerfully, and say with Isaiah, " Here 
am I, Lord, send me." But, if not called to 
preach the gospel, be sure, that in whatever 
station you may be placed, the full weight of 
your influence shall be on the side of religion 
and morality. 

And here permit me to say a few things 
on the subject of temperance. In the pres- 
ent state of things it is called for. Young 
men, w T ith your own eyes you have seen 
the evils of intemperance. Perhaps some 
of your own acquaintances; perhaps some of 
your own companions, have fallen victims to 
this vice. O, who can tell how great an evil it 
is ! Who can tell what mischief it has done ! 
We have heard of wars, which have laid 
cities in ashes, and kingdoms in ruins. We 
have heard of tornadoes, which have carried 



SECOND SERIES. 



291 



the ploughshare of destruction over the fairest 
portions of the earth. We have heard of vol- 
canic irruptions rolling a tide of burning lava 
far and wide. We have heard of mighty 
earthquakes, which in one disastrous hour 
have swallowed up thousands and tens of thou- 
sands in one wide, yawning, terrific grave! — 
I have heard of many such things; but here 
is one, perhaps more ruinous to man and 
his best interests than all such put together. 
For, whereas other evils chiefly affect the 
body, this reaches the soul; and whereas other 
evils are confined to times and places, this 
sweeps over the whole world, as some sirocco 
of the desert, or some blast from the pit! 
Like Death upon the pale horse, it sends a 
thrill of horror wherever it goes. It curses 
men, and curses women. It curses the body, 
and curses the soul. It withers everything 
that is beautiful, and blasts everything that 
is good. Poverty and disease, and strife, and 
violence, and murder, are in its train; and 
death and hell wind up the fearful escort. 
Young men, let the temperance banner wave 
over you! Be its unflinching advocate — be 
its fast friend. Never traffic in ardent spirits ; 
and rather die than "deal out death by the 
half-pint." O what a meeting will there be 
between the rumseller and his victim in the 



292 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



resurrection morn! A Boston poet has been 
very graphic here : 

" One was the drunkard, early dead. 
The other, he who hurled him to the grave ! 
As the grave raised its rattling shroud, and 
Let their bodies forth, clothed, both with dismal 
Immortality — the drunkard started, 
As he slowly turned, and fix his horrid eyes 
On him who shrank from that look of death, 
And sprang to seek his hiding tomb. Moaning 
He said — ( Spirit ! why gaze on me ? Who art 
Thou ? Knowest thou me V 6 Know thee V loud shrieks 
Replied : ' Know I this judgment morn ? Know I 
The threat to meet thee here again ! Stand forth ! 
Thou doomed, unconcerned fiend ! Aye, well I know 
Thee ! Well I knew on earth, thy damning arts 
That lured me to the grave ! Stand forth ! and look 
On yonder flowery spot, where rose to heaven 
My angel wife and babes, and read the 
Inscription on their tombs, and mine ! I am 
The murdered man thou sawest die, and thou, 
My murderer ; the monster seller of that 
Ardent fire that burned my body, and now 
Burns my soul ! But, hark ! the judgment-trumpet 
Calls ! and we must meet the Judge ! I told thee 
So, when dying on my bed of straw, in 
Yonder world. Away ! Away ! for still the 
Trumpet calls ! It calls for thee, thou murderer ! 
And I will be a witness at the bar, 
And call on God to damn thy soul and mine !" 

Young men, you must exert a great influ- 
ence in your day and generation, for good or 



SECOND SERIES. 293 

evil. Remember, there are two great interests 
set up on earth, and they are antagonistical. 
O, see to it, that the full weight of your 
influence be on the right side. Be bold in 
your opposition to everything that is evil, and 
demoralizing; be valiant for the truth; "serve 
the God of your fathers with a perfect heart, 
and with a willing mind." Tell me not that 
zeal in the cause of virtue, of religion, and of 
God, will interfere with your other engage- 
ments or lawful callings in life. By no means 
will it. You may have the plough, or the 
pen, or even the sword, in your hand, and 
God in your heart at the same time. In every 
calling, in every profession, in every pursuit 
of life, you may find illustrations of the fact, 
that piety and the lawful pursuits of life, are 
by no means incompatible with each other. 
Do you wish to be a lawyer ? Be it so. Sel- 
don was a lawyer, and Seldon was a very 
pious man. Do you covet the office of a 
judge? Very well. Sir Matthew Hale was a 
judge, and Sir Matthew Hale was a most de- 
voted Christian. Do you desire to be a phy- 
sician? Be it so. Bcerhaave was a physician, 
and no one questions his piety. Would you 
be a merchant? Divie Bethune was a mer- 
chant, and so was Robert Ralston, and who 
knows not that their praise is in all the 
churches? But you must be a mechanic. 
25* 



294 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Be it so; that is an honourable calling; Har- 
lan Page was a mechanic, and Harlan Page 
had many, converted by his instrumentality, to 
rise up and call him blessed. And should 
you even wish to be a soldier — be it so. At 
the call of your country, buckle on your 
armour. Go forth and meet the invading foe. 
Yes, at the call of your country, be a soldier. 
Cornelius was a soldier, and so was our own 
beloved Washington. The apostle says, " Not 
slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving 
the Lord." The idea is this, that duties never 
clash. You can be a zealous, warm-hearted 
Christian, and at the same time be active and 
enterprising in all the lawful callings and pur- 
suits of life. Indeed he who professes to be a 
Christian, and neglects his temporal duties, 
dishonours the name of Christ, hence the lan- 
guage of the apostle, "He that provides not 
for his own, and especially for those of his 
own household, hath denied the faith, and is 
worse than an infidel ;" and the rule laid down, 
which embraces all duties, whether of a tem- 
poral or spiritual nature, is this : "Whatsoever 
thy hands find to do, do it with thy might, 
for there is no work, nor device, nor know- 
ledge, nor wisdom, in the grave to which thou 
goest." Yes, in relation to everything which 
claims your attention, be active and diligent, 
remembering the words of our blessed Re- 



SECOND SERIES. 



295 



deemer, " The night cometh when no man can 
work." But, as we have said, out text em- 
braces, 

II. Considerations, w 7 hich are worthy of the 
attention of all, but particularly of young men. 
The first is expressed in these words: "The 
Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth 
all the imaginations of the thoughts." The 
idea is this, that the eye of God is upon you ; 
that he knows, not only all your actions, but 
all your thoughts. He is with you at all times, 
by night and by day, at home and abroad, and 
is perfectly acquainted with your whole cha- 
racter; you are ever in his immediate pre- 
sence, and have to say, with Hagar in the wil- 
derness, " Thou, God, seest me !" What a 
powerful consideration this is to hold the sin- 
ner in check, and make him anxious, neither 
to do, or say, or think anything that is w 7 rong. 
"Thou, God, seest me!" The bare thought of 
it, is enough to make the dagger to fall from 
the hand of the assassin. The bare thought 
of it, is enough to cause the cup to fall from 
the hand of the inebriate ; and enough also, to 
cause the oath to die half uttered upon the 
tongue. O remember, young man, that you 
can hide nothing from your Maker, that every 
sin you commit is known and registered, and 
that the day of review must come ! The 
second consideration is this: "If thou seek 



296 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



him, he will be found of thee." O, if you only 
knew what is implied in finding God ! if you 
only knew how rich and happy this would 
make you ! Count up all the silver and the 
gold in this wide world ; add every diamond 
and every pearl; add all the kingdoms on 
earth, and the glory of them, and what is all 
this to the favour of God? The favour of 
God ! — it is everything which men on earth, 
or angels in heaven can desire ; hence the lan- 
guage of the Psalmist: "Thy favour, O God, 
is life : thy loving kindness is better than life." 
This is the prize presented, and how is it to 
be obtained ? By seeking. " If thou seek him 
he will be found of thee." If some one, in 
whom you have confidence, should tell you 
that there is a jewel hid in the sand near your 
dwelling, which is worth one hundred thou 
sand dollars, and that if you seek it, you shall 
find it, and finding it, it shall be yours; would 
you not seek it? Aye, would you not imme- 
diately enter upon the work of seeking it? 
Would you not seek it by sun-light, and star- 
light? by moon-light, and torch-light? and 
w r ould. you not seek it with all your heart? 
with unwearied perseverance, and with a 
settled determination never to give over, but 
to seek until you should find it. Now, this is 
the promise made, this is the assurance given 
in relation to the one pearl of great price, 



SECOND SERIES. 



297 



" If thou seek him, he will be found of thee." 
And now, if you wish to find the eternal God, 
as the rest and portion of your soul; if you 
wish to repose in his bosom, and share in his 
everlasting love, you must seek him as direct- 
ed — "Seek ye the Lord while he may be 
found, and call upon him while he is near." 

But, in this matter there are certain things 
w T hich must not be forgotten: — h You are to 
seek the Lord while you are yet in the morn- 
ing of life. Few persons, comparatively speak- 
ing, are converted after they are thirty years 
of age. The season of youth, ah ! that is the 
golden season, the best season ; hence this spe- 
cial command given, " Remember, now, thy 
Creator, in the days of thy youth and, also, 
this special promise, which we find upon sa- 
cred record, 44 They that seek me early shall 
find me." 2. You are to seek the Lord, in the 
forsaking of all your sins, as it is written, 
" Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return 
unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon 
him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly 
pardon." Yes, this is a settled point; you 
are to give up all your sins, even your most 
loved and besetting sin. Though dear as a 
right hand, you must cut it off: though dear 
as a right eye, you must pluck it out. The 
sacrifice may be esteemed great, but it must 



298 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



be made, for the Psalmist says: "If I re- 
gard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not 
hear me;" and if you indulge in one single sin, 
even in your heart, why should he hear you? 
Remember, you cannot be earthly-minded and 
heavenly-minded at the same time. " You 
cannot serve God and Mammon." This leads 
me to make a third remark : — You must seek 
the Lord, earnestly; you must seek him with 
all your heart, even as the hungry man seeks 
bread, the thirsty man seeks water, or as the 
ambitious man seeks fame. Your whole soul 
must be in the matter. You must feel that 
everything that is dear is at stake — that, if 
you succeed, you are happy for ever; if you 
succeed not, you are undone to all eternity. 
O, then, let this be with you the great con- 
cern, to seek and find God, as your supreme 
good, and the portion of your soul. And for 
your encouragement, remember it is written, 
" Then shall ye seek me, and find me, when 
you search for me w T ith all your heart." Take 
God at his word. Believe the promise, and 
your salvation is sure. Your sins will be par- 
doned ; God will be your Father, and heaven 
your sweet and everlasting home ! 

But a third consideration, or motive, pre- 
sented in our text is expressed in these em- 
phatic words: "But if thou forsake him, he 
will cast thee off for ever." Here we have, as 



SECOND SERIES. 



299 



it were, the mutterings of the thunders of the 
last day. The language is awful: how does 
it fall upon your ear? Listen! "But, if thou 
forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." 
My young friends, suppose your parents should 
cast you off; suppose your brothers and sisters 
should cast you off ; suppose your friends and 
neighbours — suppose the whole world should 
cast you off, would you not esteem yourselves 
w T retched? Let my father and my mother cast 
me off; let my brothers and my sisters cast me 
off; let my friends, and my neighbours — let all 
the world cast me off — but, O God of my sal- 
vation, do not thou cast me off! for, if driven 
from thy presence, whither, O whither shall I 
go? Permit me to remark, that when I was 
quite a youth, one of Watts' hymns made a 
very deep and lasting impression upon my 
mind, particularly these lines: 

" That awful day will surely come, 
The appointed hour makes haste, 
When I must stand before my Judge, 
And pass the solemn test. 

Thou lovely Chief of all my joys, 

Thou Sovereign of my heart, 
How could I bear to hear thy voice, 

Pronounce the word, depart ? 

The thunder of that dismal word 

Would so torment my ear, 
'Twould tear my soul asunder, Lord, 

With most tormenting fear. 



300 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



What ! to be banished from my Life, 

And yet forbid to die? 
To linger in eternal pain, 

And death for ever fly ?" 

These lines came over my soul with a most 
awakening influence — with a most tremendous 
power; but the following verse crowned the 
whole : 

" ! wretched state of deep despair, 
To see my God remove, 
And fix my doleful station, where 
I must not taste his love !" 

The scenes of the last great day were 
brought vividly before the eyes of my mind. 
There was the Judge enthroned — there the 
vast multitude of the human family assem- 
bled — the righteous on the right hand, the 
wicked on the left; and a great gulf between. 
Amongst the happy ones, I pictured to myself 
many of my dearest relatives, and above all, 
my sainted mother! The Judge smiles upon 
them, but there was no smile for me. I must 
depart! Cut off from God, and his angels, 
and all whom I loved on earth, I must take an 
everlasting farewell. Driven away, I must 
wander down the vale of an unblest eternity — 
a wretched, hopeless exile from God, and hap- 
piness, and heaven. O, ye dear youth, who 
have been blessed with pious parents, and who 
have been early taught the great truths of our 



SECOND SERIES. 301 

holy religion, how could you bear to see your 
u God remove"? How can you endure the 
thought of having your doleful station fixed 
where you " must not taste his love"? Never, 
no, never, never more! O eternity! eternity! 
To be exiled from God, and happiness, and 
heaven, for a million of years — how over- 
whelming the thought! But, O, for ever! 
" Who can paraphrase" (as a poor dying sin- 
ner said,) " who can paraphrase upon the 
words, for ever and for ever?" My young 
friends, remember, great eternity is before you, 
and what you do this night may stamp your 
character, and fix your destiny for ever! You 
may try to hide these things from your eyes, 
you may try to forget them altogether; but 
this will avail nothing. God has appointed a 
day wherein he will judge the world ; yea, even 
the secrets of all hearts. Amid the scenes 
of youth, and the pursuits and pleasures of this 
life, you may perhaps enjoy yourselves, and 
get along without God and religion ; but what 
will you do when the evil days shall come, and 
the years draw nigh, when you shall say, I 
have no pleasure in them. In the morning of 
life, w T hen everything is smiling around you, 
it is quite possible that you may have some- 
thing like joy playing around your heart ; but 
what will you tlo in the day when the sun, or 
the light, or the moon be not darkened, nor 
26 



302 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



the clouds return after the rain? You may 
get along without God, it may be, when you 
are yet young, and everything is smiling 
upon you; but what will you do when the 
keepers of the house shall tremble, and the 
strong men shall bow themselves, and the 
grinders shall cease because they are few, and 
those that look out of the windows be darken- 
ed? You may get along without God, it may 
be, when you are yet young, and everything 
is smiling around you ; but what will yon do 
in the day when you shall be afraid of that 
which is high ; and fears shall be in the way, 
and the almond-tree shall flourish, and the 
grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire 
shall fail, because man goeth to his long home, 
and the mourners go about the streets ? You 
may get along without God, and religion, per- 
chance, while you are yet young, and every- 
thing is smiling around you ; but what will 
you do in the day when the silver cord shall be 
loosed, and the golden bowl shall be broken ; 
in the day when the pitcher shall be broken 
at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the 
cistern ; in the day when the dust shall return 
to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall re- 
turn unto God who gave it? Young men, 
listen to me : this world has a powerful charm 
for many, and especially for the young; the 
influence which it exerts over multitudes is 



SECOND SERIES. 



303 



truly astonishing; and after all, what is the 
world, but a "land of unsubstantial shades"? 
and what are the things of the world but "an 
empty, though brilliant show"? So teaches 
Solomon — "Vanity of vanities," says he, "all 
is vanity." Observe, this is not the language 
of a poverty-stricken man, who, under the in- 
fluence of envious feelings, cries down those 
things which he possesses not. Nor is it the 
longing of a carping cynic, who, soured by 
disappointment, would retire from the world in 
disgust. No, nor is it the language of a man 
who utters in a moment of excitement that 
which he would fain recall in the season of 
calm reflection. It is the language of a man 
famed for his riches, and wisdom, and prosper- 
ity. It is the language of Solomon, the son of 
David, and king of Israel. No man probably, 
that ever lived, was better qualified to form a 
correct estimate of the world and the things of 
the world ; for, it seems, there was no source 
of worldly enjoyment to which he had not re- 
paired in his pursuit after happiness, and here 
he gives the result of his long continued ob- 
servation, the verdict of his own dear bought 
experience— "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." 
Notice, Solomon does not affirm, that some 
earthly things are vain, but all — "Vanity of 
vanities, all is vanity." Not that Solomon in- 
tended to say, that literally there is nothing 



304 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



good or desirable on earth. His idea is this: 
as the supreme good, or portion of the soul, 
everything of an earthly nature is weighed 
and found wanting. This falls in with the 
language of the poet : 

u The world can never giye, 

The bliss for which we sigh." 

And, if I mistake not, this falls in also with 
the experience of the gayest of the gay, now 
present. Ah! believe me, "There is nothing 
true, there is nothing firm, there is nothing 
sweet but heaven !" O, my young friends, in 
view of all these things, be persuaded to seek 
something better than this world can give. 
The world ! how vain will it appear when you 
are sinking in the- cold embrace of death! 
The world ! what a poor thing, what a beggar- 
ly portion, when it shall be wrapped in the 
winding-sheet of the last great conflagration : 
and oh ! how utterly unworthy of the aspira- 
tions of an immortal mind, must all its riches 
and honours, and splendours this moment ap- 
pear to those bright spirits who are now high 
in the climes of bliss, and bathing in glory, as 
in the sunlight of heaven! Therefore, young 
men, listen, oh listen, I again entreat you, to the 
language of the text; it was the dying charge 
of a father to a son whom he loved; and it 
may in substance be the charge given to some 



SECOND SERIES. 



305 



of you, by some beloved parent, now gone to 
glory ! O hear it, as the counsel of experience 
and love! O receive it, as the voice of an 
oracle, or angel of God: — "My son, know 
thou the God of thy father, and serve him 
with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, 
for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and under- 
standest all the imaginations of the thoughts. 
If thou seek him, he will be found of thee, 
but, if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off 
for ever." 



SERMON XII. 

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. 

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude; and as the voice of 
many waters; and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia! for 
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." — Rev. xix. 6. 

That there is a God, all nature cries aloud, 
through all her works; and, the religious rites 
and ceremonies which prevail on earth, plainly 
declare the general belief, that this great Being 
has not retired from the scene of his creating 
power, but still, as a sovereign God, presides 
over the worlds and the creatures which he 
has made. Of the true nature and character 
of this government, however, little can be 
26* 



306 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



gathered from the light of reason, and the re- 
searches of the learned. To obtain clear and 
correct information upon this point, we must 
have recourse to the sacred volume, and, such 
are the views which it presents of the Divine 
government, that, in the contemplation of 
them, we shall find abundant matter for the 
loud and harmonious shout in the heavenly 
world: — "Alleluia, for the Lord God omni- 
potent reigneth!" According to the Scrip- 
tures, the government of God is unique, for, 
whereas the right of earthly monarchs to reign 
is founded, sometimes in conquest, sometimes 
in the elective franchise, and sometimes in 
hereditary claim; the government of God is 
founded in none of these things, but, in princi- 
ples infinitely more sublime. It is founded, 

I. In Creation.— He, who, on earth, has 
founded an empire, is thought to have a right 
to rule the empire, which he has founded. 
Now, God having created all things; having, 
brought all things out of nothing into exist- 
ence, has, in the sublimest sense of the term, 
founded the empire of the universe; and, 
therefore, has an undoubted right to reign 
over the empire which he has thus founded. 
Hence the language of the Psalmist, "The 
earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 
the world, and they that dwell therein, for he 
has founded it upon the seas> and established 



SECOND SERIES. 



307 



it upon the floods." And again: " O, come, let 
"us worship, and bow down ; let us kneel before 
the Lord, our Maker. He made us, and not 
we ourselves; we are the people of his pas- 
ture, and the sheep of his hand." 

II. In Preservation. — He, who originally 
created, still sustains all things. The whole 
universe rests upon his hand, and should this 
great Being, only for a moment, withdraw his 
upholding hand, the pillars of the universe 
would sink; the whole frame of nature would 
be dissolved; yea, all created existence would 
immediately vanish away, and leave nothing 
behind save the throne of God, and a bound- 
less solitude! As all things, then, depend 
upon God, for their continued, as well as ori- 
ginal existence, here of course is another firm 
foundation upon which the government of God 
is rightly based. 

III. In the Perfections of God. — Certainly, 
it is right and proper that he should hold the 
reins of government who is best qualified to 
to rule : especially where such immense inter- 
ests are at stake. And here we may ask, with 
the Psalmist : " Who, in the heavens, is like 
unto the Lord our God? and, who, in all the 
earth, can be compared unto Him?" Is wis- 
dom requisite to manage the complicated af- 
fairs of this vast universe ? God is infinite in 
wisdom. Is goodness necessary? God is su- 



308 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



premely, unchangeably, and everlastingly good. 
Is power requisite ? " The thunder of his power 
who can understand?" But, why speak we 
of single perfections? God, as one well re- 
marks, is 

" A God all o'er consummate, absolute; 
Full orbed; in his whole round of rays complete. " 

No wonder, then, that the exile of Patmos, 
caught up in the visions of God, " heard, as it 
were, the voice of a great multitude; and as 
the voice of many waters ; and as the voice of 
mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia! for the 
Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" The imme- 
diate occasion of this great shout in heaven 
seems to be the fall of mystical Babylon, or 
Papal Rome; but, no doubt, every new devel- 
opment of Divine Providence will renew the 
shout, through all the ages and cycles of great 
eternity ! That we may better understand the 
subject; and also be better prepared to respond 
to the loud and rapturous shout in glory, "Al- 
leluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth," 
let us notice some of the distinguishing fea- 
tures, or characteristics of the government of 
God. And, 

1. It is supreme and universal. — The Lord 
hath prepared his throne in the heavens, says 
the Psalmist, and his kingdom ruleth over all. 
There are many governments on earth; and, 



SECOND SERIES. 



309 



doubtless, there are many thrones and princi- 
palities in the other worlds, but the throne of 
God is high over them all ! Alexander the 
Great was called master of the world, but there 
were many regions of the earth over which 
his sceptre was never stretched, and there 
were many people of whom he had even never 
heard. And even within the limits of his 
acknowledged empire, how many kings dis- 
dained his control ! Not to mention the lions 
of the forest, and the leviathans of the deep, 
could Alexander the Great rule the changing 
seasons? Could he command the lightning? 
or the rain? or the hail? or the storm? Alex- 
ander's kingdom was extensive, but not to be 
compared w T ith the kingdom of the God of 
heaven. Alexander ruled over many kings, 
but God over all! Yes, God hath prepared 
his throne in the heavens, and, literally, his 
kingdom ruleth over all ! over all men, over all 
worlds, over all creatures, in the broadest, sub- 
limest sense, over all! But 

2. The government of God is not only su- 
preme and universal, it is particular. — It not 
only extends to great, but to small objects ; not 
only to the mighty whole, but to every part ! 
Yes, whilst his power and his wisdom are em- 
ployed in upholding and directing the " hosts 
of suns, and stars, and adamantine spheres, 
wheeling unshaken amid the void immense," 



310 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



his wisdom and his goodness are engaged in 
directing and controling all things on earth, 
from the revolution of an empire to the falling 
of a -sparrow! It is even so! He that gar- 
nishes the heavens also beautifies the earth. 
He that numbers the stars, and calls them all 
by their names, also numbers the dew-drops of 
the morning, and the sands upon the sea- 
shore! That hand which bears up the mighty 
seraph, sustains the meanest insect, and He 
who bids the roaring tempest sweep the earth, 
directs the breathing of the softest zephyr ! 
Stagger not at this! for, 4 1 as one day is with 
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand 
years as one day," so an atom is with God as a 
world, and a world as an atom ! As immensi- 
ty cannot confound him, so minuteness cannot 
escape him! The fact is, with God there is 
nothing great! With God there is nothing 
small! Some persons admit the general gov- 
ernment of God, but deny his particular pro- 
vidence. The idea is absurd ; for what, if 
I should say of a physician, he has a gen- 
eral practice, but no particular patient! or, 
of a scholar, he is a man of very general 
reading, but he never reads any one book! 
But what says the Saviour on this subject? 
It is striking, it is conclusive. " Are not two 
sparrows sold for one farthing, and not one of 
them shall fall without your Father? Fear 



SECOND SERIES. 



311 



not, the very hairs of your head are all num- 
bered !" How small is the sparrow in the lone 
wilderness! and how insignificant is the single 
hair which has fallen from your head ! And 
yet, according to the Saviour, even such 
things are not overlooked in the providence of 
God! And what is taught as true, in the 
word of God, is shown to be necessarily true 
also by reason — for we find that in the world 
of nature, providence, and of grace ; in all the 
departments of the Divine government, we 
find that great matters and little matters are 
oftentimes linked together; and who does not 
khow r that in a chain stretched across a river, 
the breaking of a small link may prove as 
serious a matter as the breaking of a great 
link ! How many striking illustrations of this 
fact have we in history, in observation, and ex- 
perience! The cackling of geese once saved 
the city of Rome from the power of the Gauls. 
Joseph's coat of many colours was one link in 
a chain of most surprising events ! A single 
playful remark of Francis the First, occasion- 
ed a bloody war between France and England. 
The carving of a few letters in the bark of a 
tree led to noble invention of printing ! And, 
to the apparently accidental falling of an 
apple, we are indebted for some of Sir Isaac 
Newton's sublimest demonstrations in natural 
science; and who, of us, need to be reminded 



312 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



of the tremendous consequences of our first 
parents' eating of the fruit of the forbidden 
tree? 

" her rash hand in evil hour 

Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she eat ! 
Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat, 
Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe, 
That all was lost !" 

And cannot every one of us, recollect some 
little remark, or incident, which has led to most 
important changes in our lives and circum- 
stances? In the case of Joseph — his coat of 
many colours, his dreams, the envy of his 
brethren, his being sold into Egypt, his being 
falsely accused, his being cast into prison, the * 
king's prison, his interpreting the dreams of 
the chief baker and butler, and also the dreams 
of Pharaoh and Joseph's interpretation of 
them, and the advancement of Joseph to be 
governor over all the land of Egypt, and final- 
ly, the settlement of Jacob and all his family 
in the land of Goshen — here are many things, 
some small, some great, linked together. 
Each event seemed to be casual, each actor 
free; and had the narrative been given by one 
of that age, he would very naturally have 
said: "It happened so;" and "it happened 
so" — and yet, if one of these things which 
"happened" had not happened, then, perhaps, 
the grand result would not have taken place ! 



SECOND SERIES. 



313 



But this leads me to speak of another distin- 
guishing feature, a characteristic of the Divine 
government. 

3. The government of God extends, not 
only to all things, but to all events ; not only 
to all creatures, but to all their actions. — I am 
aware that we are here launching into the 
deep ; but the Bible is our chart. It is a good 
chart, and we need fear nothing. 

Reader, I am a Calvinist, so called ; not that 
I embrace all the dogmas of the great Gene- 
van divine, but certainly those that are embra- 
ced in the standards of our Church ; and the 
longer I live, and the more carefully I examine 
the subject, the more thoroughly convinced am 
I, that the system, usually termed Calvinistic, 
is firmly based upon the Bible, and will stand 
the "test of scrutiny, of talents, and of time." 
Nay, I will go further, and say that the system 
needs only to be correctly understood by all 
the true people of God, to be received and 
loved. I repeat it, I am a Calvinist, but I am 
no fatalist ! I hold to the sovereignty of God, 
and also to the free-agency of man, and whilst 
I believe that God worketh all things after the 
counsel of his own will, yet it is in such a way 
as " thereby neither is God the author of sin ; 
nor is violence done to the freedom of the 
creature ; nor is the liberty or contingency of 
second causes taken away, but rather estab- 
27 



314 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



lished." It may not be possible for me to dis- 
criminate between the human and the divine 
agency ; nor can I tell where one colour in the 
rainbow terminates, and where another be- 
gins; yet do I know that these colours are 
different, and both in the rainbow. I may 
not be able to reconcile the free-agency of man 
with the fixed purposes of God which I be- 
lieve; nor can I reconcile the free-agency of 
man with the foreknowledge of God, which all 
must believe; suffice it to know that both doc- 
trines are taught in the Bible, and I know that 
the Bible is true. Do I trample upon reason? 
I deny it — I have a syllogism. It is this: 
My heavenly Father says that these doctrines 
are all true. My heavenly Father never tells 
lies, and therefore these doctrines are all true! 
But can they ever be reconciled or explained? 
I believe they both can, and will be, when 
God gives the key. Suppose, for a moment, 
that you were utterly unacquainted with your 
twofold existence, as consisting of soul and 
body. Now, whilst believing yourself to be a 
simple, and not a compound being, suppose I 
should say: " You are a mortal man, and must 
soon die;" and the next moment should pro- 
nounce you an immortal being, and affirm that 
you can never die, but must live for ever! 
Would you not say, that I spoke very absurd- 
ly, and used very contradictory language? 



SECOND SERIES. 



315 



But, should I add, wait a little, and you will 
have the key, and then all will be plain, and 
you will see that all is true, and there is no 
absurdity; no contradiction whatever; me- 
thinks you would reply, "No, sir, no key will 
answer, none can reconcile things so perfectly 
contradictory; 4 mortal,' and yet at the same 
time 'immortal;' must die ! and yet, will not, 
cannot die ! The thing is absurd, it cannot be !" 
But when you are let into the secret of your 
twofold nature— O, now ! there is no difficulty 
at all! Even so, in relation to the sovereignty 
of God, and the free-agency of man, we find it 
difficult to reconcile these things now, because 
the key is wanting. In a future state the key 
will be given, and then there will be no difficul- 
ty at all. In the mean time let us remember, 
that the Bible is suited to our probationary 
state. We need our faith tried, as well as any 
other grace, or virtue. And now our grand 
inquiry is, What does the Bible teach ? for 

u This is the judge that ends the strife, 
Where wit and reason fail ; 
My guide to everlasting life, 
Through all this gloomy vale." 

That the government of God extends, not 
only to all things but to all events ; not only to 
all creatures, but to all their actions. In other 
words, that the providence of God is, in some 



316 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



way or other, concerned with all that is done 
or transpires on earth, is manifested from very 
many passages of Scripture. The strongest, I 
think, are those which assert the providence of 
God in cases where, least of all, it might have 
been expected. 

Thus, in the 127th Psalm, we find it thus 
written: " Except the Lord build the house, 
they labour in vain that build it. Except the 
Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but 
in vain." And again, "The lot is cast into the 
lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the 
Lord." But there is another passage of Scrip- 
ture, perhaps, yet more remarkable; inasmuch 
as it asserts the providence and purpose of God 
in a case involving sin, dreadful sin ! The pas- 
sage referred to is found in Acts ii. 23 : " Him 
being delivered by the determinate counsel and 
foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by 
wicked hands have crucified and slain." The 
crucifixion of Christ, by envious and wicked 
Jews, was certainly a crime of great magni- 
tude; and yet the apostle Peter tells us ex- 
pressly that it was " according to the determi- 
nate counsel and foreknowledge of God." The 
explanation of the matter is simply this: God 
knowing all things, foreknew what evil pas- 
sions would be waked up in the bosom of the 
Jews by the life, and doctrines, and reproofs of 
our Saviour, and he also knew full well to what 



SECOND SERIES. 



317 



a murderous deed those evil passions would 
lead, if not restrained. For wise and benevolent 
purposes towards our race, God determined, 
not to restrain those evil passions, but to leave 
the Jews (as of course he justly might) to the 
freedom of their own will — leave them to act 
out their own depravity; purposing, as I have 
said, to overrule the whole matter to the ac- 
complishment of great ends. God was cer- 
tainly under no obligation to exercise a re- 
straining influence upon those wicked Jews; 
and if he foreknew what crime they unre- 
strained would commit, his " foreknowledge 
had no influence on their fault, which had 
proved no less certain unforeknown;" hence 
the apostle Peter, at the very time that he 
speaks of the crucifixion of Christ as being ac- 
cording to the determinate counsel and fore- 
knowledge of God, nevertheless, charges home 
all the guilt thereof, upon the wicked Jews. 
Observe his language! "Him, being delivered 
by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge 
of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands 
have crucifixed and slain." The case of Jo- 
seph, also, is precisely in point. He was hated 
by his brethren, and by them sold into Egypt. 
This w T as a great sin; and afterwards, when in 
trouble, they freely confessed it. "And they 
said, one to another, we are verily guilty con- 
cerning our brother, in that we saw the an- 
27* 



318 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



guish of his soul, when he besought us, and 
we would not hear, therefore is this distress 
upon us. And Reuben answered, saying: 
Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin 
against the child, and ye would not hear; 
therefore, behold also, his blood is required." 
Thus, all who had a hand in selling Joseph, 
acknowledged and felt that they had acted 
freely, and they writhed under the stings of 
an accusing conscience. Yet, when Joseph 
made himself known unto them, and they 
were greatly troubled at his presence, what 
said Joseph unto them? "I am Joseph, your 
brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now, 
therefore, be not grieved, nor angry with 
yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God 
did send me before you to preserve life. Ye 
thought evil against me, but God meant it 
unto good, to save much people alive." There 
needs be no difficulty. The case is simply 
this. God, being infinitely wise, knows how, 
in perfect consistency with the perfections of 
his character, to make use of all instrumentali- 
ties, good and bad, for the accomplishment of 
his wise and benevolent purposes. Certain 
things God brings to pass by a positive agency. 
Other things he simply permits to come to 
pass. And, let it be remarked, permission and 
approbation do not, by any means, mean the 
same thing. Napoleon Bonaparte, when a 



SECOND SERIES. 



319 



child, wished to go to a certain place, but was 
forbidden by his mother. Being headstrong, 
he persisted in going. " Well, my son," said 
his mother, " you may go, but remember ! it is 
not w 7 ith your mother's approbation." And 
thus God oftentimes permits things which, so 
far from commanding, he forbids, and highly 
disapproves. He permits sometimes, because 
he would not interfere with the free-agency of 
the creature. He permits, sometimes, because 
he purposes (as in the cases already men- 
tioned) to overrule the evil intended for good ; 
and sometimes he permits, in a judicial way, 
as a punishment for sins previously commit- 
ted. Hence the language of Paul in reference 
to the heathen and their abominations : " Even 
as they did not like to retain God in their know- 
ledge, God gave them over to do things which 
are not convenient." And now let it not be 
forgotten, this is all that is meant by a cer- 
tain passage in our Shorter Catechism, which 
has been much cavilled at, viz: " The decrees 
of God are his eternal purpose, according to 
the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own 
glory he hath foreordained whatsoever comes 
to pass." In other words, it may be stated 
thus: — By the decrees of God, we mean no 
formal legislative enactment, (as, " Thus it 
shall be," and "thus it shall not be,") but, 
simply the calm and settled purpose of an infi-~ 



320 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



nitely wise and gracious God, to bring to pass, 
or permit to come to pass whatsoever does 
come to pass, for the glory of his name. Does 
any one ask, what is the difference between 
bringing to pass, and permitting to come to 
pass? I answer, God brought to pass the in- 
carnation of his Son; he permitted to come to 
pass his crucifixion. The difference is as wide 
as the east is from the west. Our doctrine, 
then, is simply this: — By positive and permis- 
sive decrees, God, in wisdom and in love, man- 
ages the affairs of the universe, directs and 
controls all things, and all events, all creatures, 
and all their actions. It must be so, for, sup- 
pose an event to take place without the Divine 
permission; for example, then, it must be 
either because God is not aware of it, or can- 
not prevent it. If not aware of it, he cannot 
be omniscient; if he cannot prevent it, then he 
is not omnipotent; and then, of course, in the 
last case, " there must be a power behind the 
throne greater than the throne itself," which 
thought would be frightful ! No, our doctrine 
is true, that the government of God extends 
not only to all things, but to all events, not 
only to all creatures, but to all their actions. 
In other words, that a Divine providence is 
concerned, in some way or other, "in all the 
good and ill that checker human life." Is fur- 
ther proof demanded? Permit me to quote a 



SECOND SERIES. 



821 



very remarkable passage found in Isaiah xlv. 
7: " I form the light, and I create darkness; I 
make peace and create evil; I, the Lord, do 
all these things." What! the Lord create eml\ 
Yes ! but in such a way as casts no stain upon 
his moral perfections; but, on the contrary, 
will furnish new matter for admiration and 
praise. Hence, the language of joy and gratu- 
lation which immediately follows : — " Drop 
down, ye heavens, from above! and let the 
skies p$>ur down righteousness. Let the earth 
open, and let them bring forth salvation. Let 
righteousness spring up together; I, the Lord, 
have created it." But how does God- create 
evil? As he does darkness. The first sen- 
tence explains the last. Observe the lan- 
guage: I form the light, and I create dark- 
ness. How does God form the light ? By a 
positive influence, pouring radiance around. 
How does God create darkness? By with- 
holding this radiance. Even so, by a positive 
influence, God makes peace, and by withhold- 
ing that influence, creates evil, that is, permits 
it. In this, is God the author of sin? No 
more than the sun is the source of darkness, 
although its absence occasions that darkness. 
But this leads me to notice another distin- 
guishing feature, or characteristic of the gov- 
ernment of God. 

4. It is absolute. — There is no doctrine 



322 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



more plainly taught in the Scriptures than 
this. " Our God is in the heavens," says 
the Psalmist, "he hath done whatsoever he 
pleased." And again: "Whatsoever the Lord 
pleased, that did he, in heaven and in earth; 
in the seas and in all deep places." Paul con- 
firming the doctrine, positively asserts that 
God worketh all things after the counsel of his 
own will. And Elihu, knowing that some 
would be disposed to contend against the doc- 
trine, says: "Why dost thou strive ^against 
him ? for he giveth not account of any of his 
matters." As God is indebted to none for his 
crown, He is amenable to none for his govern- 
ment. Being the Creator and Preserver of all 
things, he is in the sublimest sense of the 
term, the Proprietor of all things; and, there- 
fore, has a right to do all his pleasure, in the 
armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants 
of the earth; and being infinitely perfect, it 
should be a matter of boundless joy and gratu- 
lation, that he is, and ever will be, the reign- 
ing God! He giveth not account of any of his 
matters, and why? Because the policy of his 
government, and his reasons of state cannot be 
comprehended by any finite mind. Sufficient 
for us to know, that He is infinitely wise and 
good, and does all things well. As a sove- 
reign God he gives and withholds the fruits of 
the earth, and the rains of heaven. As a sove- 



SECOND SERIES. 



323 



reign God he commands the hail and the tem- 
pest; the lightning and the storm; and, at 
his command, also, fierce diseases go and come. 
Yes, when it seems good in his sight, 

" He involves the heaven 

In tempest ! quits his grasp upon the winds, 
And gives them all their fury, bids the plague 
Kindle a fiery boil upon the skin, 
And putrefy the breath of blooming youth ! 
He calls for Famine, and the meagre fiend 
Blows mildew from between his shrivelled lips, 
And taints the golden ear !" 

The Lord, says Hannah, in her song of 
thankfulness, "The Lord maketh poor, and 
maketh rich. He bringeth low, and lifteth 
up. He raiseth the poor up out of the dust, 
and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to 
set them among princes, and to make them 
inherit the throne of glory ! for the pillars of 
the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the 
world upon them." The idea is this. The 
Lord is the proprietor of all things, and there- 
fore a sovereign God! Yes, my reader, as a 
sovereign God, he has not only fixed the 
bounds of the sea, but he has also fixed the 
bounds of our habitations ; the bounds of our 
possessions, and the bounds of our lives. All 
things are under the full control of a wise and 
powerful God ! If, then, some are rich and 
some are poor, some are honoured and some 



324 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



despised; if some have great prosperity, and 
some have great affliction ; if this child is an 
idiot, and that has good sense ; if this child is 
born a cripple, and that in the full exercise of 
all its limbs, it is, "Even so, Father, for so it 
seemed good in thy sight." And this reminds 
me of the case of a poor little mute in one 
of our Institutions for the deaf and dumb : 
" Child," said a visitor, (the conversation was 
in writing,) "child, can you tell me who made 
the world?" "In the beginning God created 
the heavens and the earth," replied the mute. 
"Very well, and can you tell me who Jesus 
Christ is?" "In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, and the Word 
w r as God," was another beautiful answer of the 
mute. " All very good," said the gentleman, 
"and now, one question more. Can you tell 
me, child, how it comes to pass that you are 
deaf and dumb when others can both hear and 
speak?" "Even so, Father, for so it seemed 
good in thy sight," replied the child with 
great meekness. Where did this child of 
affliction learn this lesson ? At the feet of the 
blessed Jesus. You recollect the Saviour had 
sent out his disciples, two and two, to preach 
the gospel, and when they returned with joy and 
said, " Lord, even the devils are subject unto 
us through thy name," it is added, "In that 
hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank 



SECOND SERIES. 325 

thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, 
because thou hast hidden these things from the 
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them 
unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed 
good in thy sight." Our Saviour, when on 
earth, often wept, but so far as I can recollect, 
only on this occasion, is he said to have 
rejoiced. And in what did he rejoice? In 
the sovereignty of God! "I thank thee, O 
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because 
thou hast hid these things from the wise and 
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy 
sight." This is the more remarkable as it has 
reference to the sovereignty of God exercised 
in spiritual matters, in giving to some what 
was hidden from others. And we find the 
same spirit animating Paul, and in relation 
to the same matter. Hear his own words: 
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all 
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, 
according as he hath chosen us in him before 
the foundation of the world, that we should be 
holy, and without blame before him in love, 
having predestinated us unto the adoption of 
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according 
to the good pleasure of his will, in whom also 
we have obtained an inheritance, being predes- 
tinated according to the purpose of him who 
28 



326 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



worketh all things after the counsel of his own 
will." The doctrine of God's sovereign and 
electing love is here plainly taught. And ob- 
serve, it is not a national election that is 
spoken of, for Paul says, who hath chosen 
us? Not us Gentiles, for Paul was not a 
Gentile, nor us Jews, for the Ephesians were 
not Jews. If we were addressing a company 
of Africans, we would not say, us Africans. 
We are not Africans, nor could we say, us 
Americans, for they are not Americans. No 
national election can then be here intended, 
nor the election of characters, for those said to 
be chosen in Christ were not said to be chosen 
in Christ, because they were holy, but that 
they should be holy. And this reminds me 
of a passage in the Acts. Luke says: "And 
as many as were ordained unto eternal life be- 
lieved." If the election of characters and not 
persons be intended, Luke made a slip of the 
pen, and should have said, As many as be- 
lieved were ordained unto eternal life. But 
no! this is the way it is written, "And as 
many as were ordained unto eternal life be- 
lieved." But, as Paul, in the passage quoted, 
has no reference to a national, nor election of 
characters, neither does he here offer refer- 
ence to the apostleship of any thing of the 
kind, for the persons to whom the epistle was 
addressed, were simply " the saints at Ephe- 



SECOND SERIES. 



327 



sus," and " the faithful in Christ Jesus;" be- 
sides, it is expressly stated that they were 
chosen, not to the apostleship, nor any thing of 
the kind, but to the adoption of children. 
Some object to the doctrine of election. Is it 
the word? It is in the Bible, in numerous 
places, and cannot be expunged. Is it the 
principle? You elect your governors, your 
presidents, your generals, your judges, your 
sheriffs, your pastors, your partners in love and 
trade. No principle more common amongst 
men; we should not marvel, therefore, if it be 
common with God. Do men set a value upon 
the exercise of the principle? Go to the ballot- 
box, and tell that free-born American that he 
shall not exercise the elective franchise! He 
will surrender his life, before he surrenders 
that right! If, then, man sets a value upon 
the principle, why may not his Maker? But, 
is the doctrine of personal election objected to? 
And what is this doctrine? I would define it 
thus: — It is God's plan of securing the salva- 
tion of some, of a great multitude which no 
man can number! Now, why should we ob- 
ject to a plan for securing the salvation of a 
great multitude of the human family, which 
no man can number, when, without it, the sal- 
vation of all would be in jeopardy? 

And here I am reminded of the remark of 
a certain very pious old lady. When asked 



328 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



whether she believed in the doctrine of elec- 
tion, " Certainly/' replied she, " for it is in the 
Bible." " What !" said the inquirer, " do you 
believe that you were elected before you were 
born?" "Yes," said she promptly, "I have 
been such a poor vile sinner, if God had not 
elected me before I was born, he never would 
afterwards." This remark, if I mistake not, 
must be understood and appreciated by all 
who know any thing of their own hearts, and 
have felt the power of God's victorious grace. 
And here permit me to remark, that the doc- 
trine of election was designed for the consola- 
tion of God's children; and I would appeal to 
the feelings of every real Christian. Is it not 
more delightful to think that God set his love 
upon us from all eternity, than that he began 
to love us the other day? And what is so 
cheering to the child of God, need not be 
discouraging to the unconverted, for they have 
the same encouragement to seek salvation now, 
that the Christian had before he was convert- 
ed. And the fact is, the grand inquiry is, not 
whether we can understand every part of the 
scheme of redemption, but whether there is 
such a scheme whereby the sinner may be 
saved. Not whether two or three doctrines 
in the Bible are hard to be understood, but 
whether the Bible itself, which contains these 
doctrines, be the word of God. Not whether 



SECOND SERIES. 



329 



we are of the elect or reprobate, but whether 
we are sinners and need the salvation of 
Christ; for it is very remarkable, the same 
Bible which tells us that "whom God fore- 
knew, them he also predestinated," also says, 
" whosoever will, let him take of the^ water of 
life freely." And again: " It is a faithful say- 
ing, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ 
Jesus came into the w r orld to save sinners." 
Thus there are two classes of Scripture pass- 
ages, and we believe them both. And as I 
have said before, so say I again, there is no 
more difficulty in reconciling the fore-ordina- 
tion, than the foreknowledge of God with the 
free-agency of man, so that Christians of dif- 
ferent persuasions should be very kind and 
charitable towards each other, inasmuch as (so 
far as regards the matter of difficulty) they are 
all in the same condemnation ; and one thing 
is certain, if the system called " Calvinistic" 
be not scriptural, it looks very much like it. 
To prove this matter let us try it in this w 7 ay. 
Suppose that the apostle Paul should enter 
the sacred desk, disguised as a preacher, and 
looking over the congregation, should break out 
in these words: "Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us 
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, 
in Christ Jesus, according as he hath chosen 
us in him before the foundation of the world, 
28* 



830 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



that we should be holy and without blame 
before him in love; having predestinated us 
unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ 
to himself, according to the good pleasure of 
his will." Would you not suspect that this 
stranger was a Calvinistic preacher? And 
suppose, waxing a little warmer, he should go 
on and say: "Moreover, whom he predesti- 
nated, them he also called; and whom he 
called, them he also justified ; and whom he 
justified, them he also glorified. Who shall 
lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It 
is God that justifieth, who is he that con- 
demneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather 
that is risen again, who also maketh inter- 
cession for us." Would you not think the 
preacher strongly Calvinistic? And suppose? 
waxing still warmer, and rising with the gran- 
deur of the theme, he should add: "The Lord 
hath made all things to himself, even the 
wicked for the day of evil : therefore, hath he 
mercy on whom he will have mercy; and 
whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt, then, 
say unto me, Wherefore doth he yet find fault? 
for who hath resisted his will? Nay, but O 
man, who art thou that repliest against God ? 
Shall the thing formed, say to him that formed 
it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the 
potter power over the clay, of the same lump, 
to make one vessel unto honour, and another 



SECOND SERIES. 



331 



unto dishonour?" Suppose, I say, the apostle 
Paul, disguised as a preacher, should utter 
these " hard sayings," would you not pro- 
nounce him a Calvinistic preacher of the 
" straitest sect?" Ah! my reader, the case is 
clear. According to the Scriptures, God is a 
sovereign God, and doth his pleasure in the 
armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants 
of the earth, and there is none that can stay 
his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou? 
As an absolute sovereign, he rules over all the 
worlds of nature, and of grace; and if one 
person is prospered, and another afflicted; if 
one is born in a gospel, and another in a pagan 
land ; if one lives to an old age, and another is 
cut down in youth, or early childhood ; and if 
one is converted and made the trophy of vic- 
torious grace, and another is permitted to go 
on in sin, and perish in sin, it is " Even so, 
Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." 

- "Nor G-abriel asks the reason why, 
Nor God the reason gives V 

But, 5. The last distinguishing feature, or 
characteristic of the Divine government, is 
this : It is wise and good — infinitely wise and 
good! If a being clothed with such tremen- 
dous power; 0! if a being invested with such 
absolute dominion over all things, were capri- 
cious or malignant; if he took pleasure in in- 



332 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



flicting pain, or delighted in the death of any 
of his creatures, how frightful would be the 
condition of the universe! But joy, joy to 
creation; this great Being, this sovereign God, 
is no less wise than he is powerful; no less 
good than he is great! It is true, that there 
are mysteries in the Divine government; and 
not unfrequently the paths of the Almighty 
are in the deep waters, and his ways past 
finding out. It is because God works upon a 
large pattern. His schemes embrace all time, 
and all eternity. Of course, we can see only 
a part, and how can we judge of the whole? 
Some cavil and object, because sin and sorrow 
have been permitted to enter our world ; but 
who can tell, whether by the wise and over- 
ruling providence of God, these may not be 
made use of as the shading of some great 
moral picture? One thing we know, a dark 
ground is best for gilding, and precious stones 
set in ebony, shine with more brilliancy ! There 
are, moreover, providences in relation to na- 
tions, families, and individuals, which, to such 
short-sighted creatures as we are, appear very 
mysterious, but in the winding up, we shall, 
no doubt, all have to say, He has done all 
things well. You recollect the case of Jacob. 
In a dark hour he said, " Joseph is not, and 
Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin 
away also. All these things are against me, 



SECOND SERIES. 



333 



and ye will bring down my gray hairs with 
sorrow to the grave." But mark the winding 
up ! Joseph is taken away, it is true, but it is 
only for a season ; and, lo! Joseph's wagons are 
come! Joseph is made governor over all the 
land of Egypt; he has provided corn for the 
patriarch and all his household; and, lo! Jo- 
seph's wagons are come to take them all down 
into Egypt, to nourish them, and keep them 
well provided for in a time of famine! And 
see, too, those silvery locks of his which the 
patriarch, in a dark hour, said, should go down 
with sorrow to the grave. Only see how they 
fall upon the neck of his beloved son, Joseph! 

u Shall little haughty ignorance pronounce 
His works unwise ? the smallest part of which 
Exceeds the narrow vision of her mind? 
As if upon a full proportioned dome, 
With swelling columns heaved, the pride of art, 
A critic fly, whose feeble ray scarce spreads, 
An inch around, with blind presumption bold, 
Should dare to tax the structure of the whole !" 

"A thing," says Eliphaz, "was secretly 
brought unto me, and mine ear received a lit- 
tle thereof. In thoughts, from the visions of 
the night, when deep sleep falleth upon man, 
fear came upon me, and trembling, which 
made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit 
passed before my face; the hair of my flesh 
stood up : it stood still, but I could not dis- 



334 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



cern the form thereof : an image was before 
mine eyes. There was silence, and I heard a 
voice saying, Shall mortal man be more just 
than God? Shall a man be more pure than 
his Maker? Behold, he put no trust in his 
servants, and he charged his angels with 
folly." Child of the dust, enter into thy noth- 
ingness! Creature of yesterday, put thine 
hands to thy mouth, and listen to the loud and 
harmonious shout of the heavenly world : "Al- 
leluia! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" 
Now, my reader, " we see through a glass 
darkly, but then face to face. Now, we know 
in part, but then shall we know, even as also 
we are known." O, when all darkness shall 
be removed, and the plans of heaven shall be 
fully developed, we shall then see that every 
thing permitted and done on earth, was permit- 
ted and done in wisdom and in love. Here is a 
piece of embroidery. It is some great master- 
piece of art. You look upon the wrong side. 
You see nothing beautiful or distinct ! * Turn 
the right side, and you exclaim, " O, what a 
beautiful piece of embroidery this is! The 
colours, how brilliant! The figures, how dis- 
tinct!" Here is a celebrated painting stretched 
over the wall. It has many figures, and they 
are so arranged that, to the eye that takes in 
the whole design of the artist, it appears most 
admirable; but there is a curtain hanging over 



SECOND SERIES. 



335 



a part of it, and you are perplexed. Remove 
the curtain; then comes admiration, and you 
laud the artist, and pronounce the painting the 
most beautiful and perfect that you have ever 
seen. So it is with all the plans and provi- 
dential dispensations of Heaven. When the 
curtain is removed, then will they appear in 
beauty and glory far transcending all our con- 
ceptions now. "What I do," says the Saviour, 
" thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know 
hereafter." "Alleluia! for the Lord God om- 
nipotent reigneth!" 

Christians ! here is matter of joy for you ! 
O how delightful to think, that it is your God 
and heavenly Father who fills the throne, and 
sways the sceptre, and rules over all! And 
joy upon joy ! He will never abdicate the gov- 
ernment, but will reign for ever! In what 
rapid succession do the kings of the earth suc- 
ceed each other; but our King is one, and 
there is , no other. The alone monarch of the 
universe. None before him! none after him! 
Through all the ages of time, through all the 
cycles of eternity, One and alone! "The Lord 
shall reign for ever and ever," says the Psalm- 
ist, " even thy God, O Zion, unto all genera- 
tions. Praise ye the Lord." He reigns over 
the world, and, although wickedness abounds, 
and sorrows now prevail, yet the world is in 
good hands, and all its affairs are under the 



336 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



control of a wise and powerful God. Aye, 
and the time is coming, when great voices shall 
be heard in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of 
this world are become the kingdoms of our 
Lord and of his Christ!" Moreover, Chris- 
tian, your God reigns over the Church. Aye, 
and " Zion enjoys her Monarch's love." God 
is in the midst of her. God will help her, and 
that right early. " Look upon Zion, the city 
of our solemnities. Thine eyes shall see Jeru- 
salem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall 
not be taken down. Not one of the stakes 
thereof shall ever be removed ; neither shall 
any of the cords thereof be broken; but there 
the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of 
broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no 
galley with oars, neither shall gallant ships pass 
thereby." But God not only reigns over the 
world and the Church. He reigns over all 
things. Then, believer, remember, He reigns 
over you and yours. All your interests are 
safely lodged in his hands. Has sorrow enter- 
ed your dwelling? Has deep affliction come 
upon you ? O remember ! He who notices the 
falling sparrow, will not forget the children of 
his love ! Fear not, in the sight of your hea- 
venly Father you are of more value than many 
sparrows. All your trials are known to him ; 
your sighs are heard; your tears are in his 
bottle; and the promise is, All things shall 



SECOND SERIES. 



337 



work together for good to them that love God, 
Yes, thank God ! 

u There is a day of sunny rest, 

For every dark and stormy night; 
And grief may hide an evening guest, 
But joy shall come at morning light I" 

Alleluia! for the Lord God omnipotent 
reigneth ! Amen. Alleluia ! 



SERMON XIII. 

THE BLESSEDNESS OF BEING A CHRISTIAN. 

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall he : 
hut we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall 
see him as he is. — 1 John iii. 2. 

Believers may be unknown to fame; by 
worldlings they may be despised ; by witlings 
and infidels they may be held in contempt. It 
matters not; it is a blessed thing to be a 
Christian. It is better to be numbered amongst 
the disciples of Christ, than to be enrolled 
amongst the most distinguished heroes the 
world ever saw. In proof of this assertion, I 
need only adduce the words of our text: " Be- 
loved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth 
not yet appear what we shall be : but we know, 
that when he shall appear, we shall be like 
him; for we shall see him as he is." 
29 



338 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



The present and future condition of believ- 
ers, will be the theme of our meditations at 
this time. 

I. The present condition of believers. — This 
is presented in these beautiful words : " Belov- 
ed, now are we the sons of God." In a certain 
sense, all mankind are the sons, or children of 
God, as he is the Author and Source of their 
being ; but, believers are the sons of God, in a 
sense peculiar to themselves; and even they 
were not always such ; for, according to the 
Scriptures, they themselves were once the 
children of wrath, even as others. But they 
have been made the children of God in two 
ways : by regeneration and adoption. 

First: By regeneration. The great doctrine 
of regeneration is clearly taught, both in the 
Old and New Testaments, but it was made 
very prominent by our Saviour, in his conver- 
sation with Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 
This man came to Jesus by night, and said, 
"Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher, come 
from God ; for no man can do these miracles, 
that thou doest, except God be with him." Je- 
sus knowing how superficial were his views in 
the matter of spiritual things, and replying 
rather to his thoughts, than to his words, said 
unto him, " Verily, verily I say unto you, ex- 
cept a man be born again, he cannot see the 
kingdom of God." Nicodemus expressing his 



SECOND SERIES. 



339 



astonishment at this declaration, Jesus answer- 
ed and said unto him, " Marvel not that I said 
unto thee, Ye must be born again : the wind 
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the 
sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it 
cometh, nor whither it goeth. So is every 
one that is born of the Spirit." Thus the Sa- 
viour, whilst he admits that the doctrine may 
not be easily comprehended by man, does not 
explain it away, but re-affirms its truth. He 
teaches that it is of the operations of the Spirit, 
and may be known by its effects. We cannot 
see the wind ; we cannot tell whence it cometh, 
nor whither it goeth ; but we know that there 
is such a thing as wind ; for we can feel it, and 
we can see the effects thereof. So in the mat- 
ter of regeneration. But, what is regenera- 
tion ? In what does it consist, and w r hat are its 
proofs? It is a w r ork of the Divine Spirit, in- 
fusing spiritual life in the soul; and, as it were, 
new-creating the whole moral man — giving the 
subject thereof new views, new feelings, new 
sorrows, and new joys, especially a new taste 
and relish for spiritual things ; so that, of the 
man truly regenerated, it may be affirmed, he 
is a "new creature in Christ," old things are 
passed away, behold, all things are become 
new. But those who are Christians, are made 
the children of God, not only by regeneration, 
but by adoption. And what is adoption? 



340 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



" Adoption is an act of God's free grace, where- 
by we are received into the number, and have 
a right to all the privileges of the sons of 
God." By regeneration we are made to pos- 
sess the nature, by adoption, the inheritance of 
sons ; so that, I repeat it, by regeneration and 
adoption, we are, in a peculiar and most bless- 
ed sense, constituted the sons, or children of 
God; and here, in speaking of the present 
condition of believers, it is proper for us briefly 
to notice some of their privileges, and the hon- 
ours now conferred upon them. And, 

First: They are owned as the children of 
God. — What a privilege and honour this is! 
When it was proposed to David, the van- 
quisher of Goliah, to become, by marriage, the 
son-in-law of King Saul, he seems to have 
been quite overwhelmed with a sense of the 
honour proposed to be done unto him, and 
said, " Seemeth it to you a light matter to be a 
king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor man, and 
lightly esteemed?" Now, if David thought it 
such a great thing to become the son-in-law of 
an earthly monarch, what shall we say of the 
privilege and honour conferred upon us, poor 
sinners and worms of the dust, to be made the 
sons and daughters of the Monarch of all 
w r orlds, the great and glorious God ! whom all 
the heavenly armies worship and adore. " Be- 
hold," says John, " what manner of love the 



SECOND SERIES. 



341 



Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should 
be called the sons of God." 

Secondly : We are not only called the sons 
of God, or acknowledged as such, but we are 
treated as such. — Yes! As children we are 
taught of God; as it is written, "All thy chil- 
dren shall be taught of the Lord." And it is 
a remarkable fact, that Christians of every 
communion, of all classes, and of every age, 
give proof, that they all have been brought 
into the same school; have had the same 
teacher; and all have learned substantially the 
same lessons. And here I may mention, in 
few words, some of the most important lessons 
which they have all been taught. A first les- 
son is, the vanity of the world. Under Divine 
influences, they have been brought to have 
such a view and sense of the emptiness of all 
things here below, that they are led to desire 
and seek after " a better country, even an hea- 
venly." A second lesson is, their sinfulness. 
They are brought to know and feel that they 
are sinners; yea, in the sight of God, great 
sinners. They are led to see that it is of the 
Lord's mercies that they have not been con- 
sumed; and the prayer of the publican has 
been made their prayer, " God be merciful to 
me a sinner!" A third lesson taught to all 
who are the children of God, is the depravity 
of their hearts — the corruption of their whole 
29* 



342 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



moral nature. The Bible says : " The heart 
is deceitful above all things, and desperately- 
wicked;" and the Saviour says, "Out of the 
heart proceed evil thoughts," &c. This may 
seem strange to the unrenewed man; but, 
when fully brought under Divine influence, he 
finds that the Bible account of the matter is but 
too true; that the heart is indeed deceitful and 
wicked; a bad soil, where lies the germ and 
buddings of all manner of iniquity ; a polluted 
fountain, whence bitter waters are ever flow- 
ing; and the prayer of the Psalmist is found a 
most appropriate and much needed prayer: 
" Create within me a clean heart, O God, and 
renew within me a right spirit." A fourth 
lesson taught by the Lord to all of his chil- 
dren, is their weakness and helplessness. Once 
they thought themselves strong; could repent 
just when they pleased; believe just when they 
pleased, and (to use a common phrase) " get 
religion" just when they pleased. And I must 
say, that even persons who are really under 
Divine influences, when first awakened, are 
usually of the same opinion still; hence, as 
soon as they are roused to a consideration of 
their lost condition without a Saviour, they 
immediately go about to work out their own 
salvation. They go from duty to duty; from 
ordinance to ordinance; from resolution to reso- 
lution : thus endeavouring to establish a righte- 



SECOND SERIES. 



343 



ousness of their own. They are going to out- 
strip old professors; they are going to do won- 
derful things! But, after a while, they find 
that they do not get along as well as they 
expected. They make promises, and they 
break them; they purpose to do this, and 
they do it not; they want to repent, and they 
cannot repent; they want to believe, and they 
cannot believe; they want to love, and they can- 
not love; they want to feel, and their hearts are 
as hard as rock ! They are astonished — think 
that their case is very peculiar; are tempted to 
believe that their day of grace is over. Ah! 
now they feel that their case is an evil one; 
that they are lost, and cannot help themselves; 
yea, that their strength is perfect weakness; 
and, with a humbled heart, are ready now to 
say, 

"A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, 
On thy kind arm I fall ; 
Be thou my Strength, and Righteousness, 
My Jesus, and my All." 

A fifth and last lesson which I shall men- 
tion is, the suitableness and preciousness of 
Christ to the poor trembling sinner. — It is won- 
derful what new views of Christ the sinner 
has, when brought under the teachings of the 
Divine Spirit. He that formerly was as a 
"root out of a dry ground," is now as the 
"rose of Sharon," yea, as the "chiefest among 



344 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ten thousand, and the one altogether lovely." 
The sinner sees that the blessed Redeemer is 
exactly suited to his case; that there is not a 
want in himself but there is a corresponding 
fulness in the Lord Jesus Christ; and now he 
would rather be saved by him, than in any 
other way, and his language is, "Here, Lord, I 
give myself away, 'tis all that I can do." 

" Welcome, welcome, dear Kedeemer, 
Welcome to this heart of mine ; 
Lord, I make a full surrender; 
Every power and thought be thine. 

Thine entirely, 
Through eternal ages thine." 

These are some of the most important les- 
sons taught by the Lord to all of his children. 
And thus, as parents teach their children, or 
cause them to be taught those things which 
are requisite and necessary, so God, our hea- 
venly Father, instructs the children of his 
love. But again: As children, God corrects 
us. "Whom the Lord loveth," says Paul, "he 
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he 
receiveth." And again : " If ye endure chasten- 
ing, God dealeth with you as with sons, for 
what son is he whom the father chasteneth 
not?" And again: "Furthermore, we have 
had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, 
and we gave them reverence; shall we not 
much rather be in subjection to the Father of 



SECOND SERIES. 



345 



spirits and love ? For they, verily for a few 
days, chastened us, after their own pleasure, 
but He, for our profit, that we might be par- 
takers of his holiness." What a thought this 
is! If we are indeed, by regeneration and 
adoption, the children of God, then all of our 
afflictions come from the hand of our heaven- 
ly Father; they are nothing but the sterner 
voice of God's parental love, designed to do us 
good, to wean our affections from earth, and 
ripen us for heaven, our home, our sweet and 
everlasting home! Let us never forget this; 
and the thought of it will tend greatly to light- 
en our heaviest burdens, and sweeten the bit- 
terest cup. This caused the Psalmist to say, 
"I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because 
thou didst it." Beloved, now are we the sons 
of God, and as children God corrects us. 
What a blessed thing it is to be a Christian ! 
But this is not all. As children, God permits 
us to come to him in every hour of trouble 
and need, and make known to him all our sor- 
rows, and all our desires. See that little child! 
It is sick, or, perhaps, some person has hurt the 
child, or it has some wants to make known; 
how pleasing, what a comfort it is for this little 
one to have an earthly parent to whom it can 
go ; one who will lend a listening ear to its com- 
plaints; and who, moreover, is able and willing 
to*supply all its wants! Even so, God, our 



346 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



Father in heaven, permits us, as children, to 
come to him. He has erected a throne, of 
grace expressly for our accommodation; and 
what a glorious throne of grace it is! Its 
foundations are laid in blood, in blood divine ! 
It is paved with love, and over it is thrown the 
beauteous rainbow, everything inviting us to 
come with boldness, that we may obtain mercy, 
and find grace to help us in time of need. 
What a privilege this is! Jacob found it 
such, when, fearing the wrath of Esau, he 
turned aside and offered up this prayer: "O 
God of my father Abraham, and God of my 
father Isaac, deliver me, I pray thee, from the 
hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, 
for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, and 
the mother, and the children." And, good 
king Hezekiah, also, found the same a very 
precious privilege, when the prophet having 
said unto him, " Set thine house in order, for 
thou shalt die, and not live," he " turned his 
face to the wall, and prayed, and wept sore." 
And, my brother, what would induce you to 
part with this privilege ? When Herod killed 
John the Baptist, his disciples, we are told, 
took up his body and buried it, and went and 
told Jesus. And so, my Christian friends, 
whenever you have sorrows, you may go and 
spread them before Him, who cares for you, 
and who can both pity and relieve. I, there- 



SECOND SERIES. 



347 



fore, repeat it — What a blessed thing it is to 
be a Christian ! Permit me to say, I thank 
God that J ever was converted. " Beloved, 
now are we the sons of God," and as sons, or 
children, God permits us to come to him, and 
pour out before him all our sorrows and our 
wants. Blessed be God ! But even this is not 
all. To crown the matter, as children, God 
has provided for us a rich inheritance. Pa- 
rents, if they can, are careful to make some 
provision for the future wants of their chil- 
dren. Even so, God has laid up in store for 
his children something to meet their wants in 
a future state. He has laid up for them an in- 
heritance; and O, how rich and great is that 
inheritance ! It is " an inheritance, incorup- 
tible, undefiled, and which shall never fade 
away." It will be enough to supply all their 
wants, and meet every desire through all the 
ages of eternity. But this leads me to no- 
tice, 

II. The future condition of believers. — The 
apostle not only says, " Beloved, now are we 
the sons of God;" but he adds, "and it doth 
not yet appear what we shall be, but we 
know that when he shall appear, we shall be 
like him, for we shall see him as he is." 
There is much embraced in these words, "and 
it doth not yet appear what we shall be." It 
is as if the apostle had said : There is some- 



348 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



thing great awaiting the believer behind the 
curtain, but how great we cannot tell ! Some- 
thing glorious, but how glorious we now do 
not know. This may remind us of what 
Paul says : " Eye hath not seen, ear hath not 
heard, nor have entered into the heart of man 
what things God hath prepared for them that 
love him." When the Queen of Sheba came 
to Jerusalem, and had seen all Solomon's wis- 
dom, and the house that he had built; and the 
meat of his table, and the sitting of his ser- 
vants; and the attendance of his ministers, 
and their apparel; and his cup-bearers; and 
his ascent by which he went up unto the 
house of the Lord, we are told there was no 
more spirit in her, and she said to the king: 
" It was a true report that I heard in mine 
own land of thy acts, and of thy wisdom; 
howbeit, I believed not the words until I 
came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, 
the half was not told me: thy wisdom and thy 
prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 
Happy are thy men, happy are these thy 
servants, which stand continually before thee, 
and hear thy wisdom." So it will be with the 
child of God, when he reaches the heavenly 
world; when he shall have seen "the King 
in his beauty," and shall have gazed upon the 
angels bending around the throne, and the re- 
deemed, in their robes, "washed, and made 



SECOND SERIES. 



349 



white in the blood of the Lamb." When he 
shall have heard the sweet and rapturous songs 
of that heavenly world, and shall have tasted of 
its unutterable joys, methinks he will exclaim 
in admiration : — I heard of heaven when I was 
on earth ; I heard of its glories and its bliss ; 
but, O, the half was not told me! Heaven! 
sweet heaven! it exceedeth, it far, very far 
exceedeth all that I ever heard, that I ever 
dreamed of when on earth ! " Beloved, now 
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet 
appear what we shall be." 

1. " It doth not yet appear what we shall 
be," in point of dignity. It is true, we are 
told that we shall be made " kings and priests 
unto God;" but we know not what is implied 
in being made " kings and priests unto God." 
Moreover, we are told that we shall be made 
equal unto the angels ; but we never saw 
these angels. It is true, John says he saw 
an angel come down from heaven, and the 
earth was lightened with his glory. This, to 
be sure, is calculated to give us very exalted 
conceptions of these first-born sons of light; 
but we have never seen an angel with our own 
eyes, and, therefore, we know not what it is to 
be made equal unto the angels. We know not 
what we shall be in point of dignity, as we 
have said; but this I will venture to affirm, 
we have reason to believe that the humblest 
30 



350 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



believer on earth shall, in heaven, attain a 
point of dignity, and grandeur, and glory, to 
which the loftiest angels cannot attain. Is 
this extravagant? Let us hear what the Bible 
says : " To him that overcometh," says the 
Saviour, 11 will I grant to sit with me in my 
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set 
down with my Father in his throne." Now, 
I ask where, and when, was it ever proposed 
to the loftiest angels in heaven, to have the 
honour of sitting down with the great Re- 
deemer upon his throne? Again; the Sa- 
viour, praying for his disciples, uses this lan- 
guage : " That they all may be one, as thou, 
Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they 
may be one with us." We know not what 
this oneness with the Eternal Son and the 
Everlasting Father means; but, one thing we 
know, this honour is proposed to be done to 
men, not to angels. Again; the apostle, speak- 
ing of believers, says: "If children, then heirs; 
heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ." 
Notice this language, " joint heirs with Jesus 
Christ!" We know not precisely what this 
means; but, we know that the honour in- 
tended is exceeding great, and no mention is 
made of angels being permitted to share in 
this high honour. Again; we find Paul, in 
his first epistle to the Corinthians, using this 
language: "Do ye not know that the saints 



SECOND SERIES. 



351 



shall judge the world? Know ye not that we 
shall judge angels?" Where is it said, in all 
the sacred volume, that angels, however ex- 
alted, shall judge the world — shall judge an- 
gels? No, no! This high honour is not for 
them ; it is reserved for ransomed sinners, for 
those who, by faith, are united to Christ in 
their effectual calling. And here is the secret, 
or rather the explanation of the whole matter : 
The Eternal Son of the Eternal God, has 
taken human nature, in connection with the 
Divine, and thus has raised human nature to 
this high eminence of grandeur and glory. 

Peter L of Russia set his affections upon a 
plebeian girl. He married her, and thus raised 
her to his bosom and his throne. On some 
grand gala day, see this mighty monarch on 
his throne ! The nobles are around him, and 
all the princes of the blood, paying homage to 
their sovereign. And now, where is that ple- 
beian girl? Whilst the nobles, and all the 
chief officers of the realm, are standing around 
their monarch, there she is seen, robed and 
crowned, a bride, seatied at her husband's side. 
Even so, in the resurrection morn, when the 
mighty host of angels, and archangels, shall 
stand around the throne of the great Re- 
deemer, the redeemed shall be raised above 
them all, and as the bride, the Lamb's wife, 
shall be permitted to sit down at her husband's 



352 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



side, even "upon his throne ! O what high re- 
wards and immortal honours await the re- 
deemed in that world which is to come ! And 
why this? Because the work of redemption 
is greater than the work of creation. It is the 
master-piece of the great God, and all its 
memorials will be to the Lord emphatically 
for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beau- 
ty. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, 
and it doth not appear what we shall be, but 
of this we are confident, that the humblest be- 
liever on earth, shall, when arrived at heaven, 
attain a point of dignity exceeding great ; even 
above that of the loftiest angels in glory! 

2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be 
in point of knowledge. The Bible authorizes 
us to believe, that in heaven there shall be a 
vast expansion of mind, a vigour of intellect, 
and a range of thought, of which we can now 
form no adequate conception. The Bible says, 
" Now we see through a glass, darkly, but 
then face to face ; now, we know in part, but 
then, w^e shall know even as also we are 
known." This indeed proves that knowledge 
will be greatly increased in heaven, but, to 
what extent, at the present time we know not. 
Even on earth, we find that there can be a 
great expansion of mind, and an immense in- 
crease of knowledge, within the space of only 
a few years. See Sir Isaac Newton, when a 



SECOND SERIES. 



353 



little child in his mother's lap, pointing to the 
stars, and looking upon them only as little 
spangles; and see the same person, some forty 
or fifty years after, then a man, a great philo- 
sopher, with spy-glass in hand, measuring the 
empire of the great God, and telling us that 
those twinkling lights in the, firmament, once 
supposed to be no more than little spangles, 
are so many brilliant suns, mighty globes, 
each a million times larger than the world 
which we inhabit, and rolling with a speed 
far beyond that of the fleetest cannon-ball, or 
swiftest whirlwind. "What an expansion of 
mind, what an increase of knowledge, within 
a few years on earth, and this, too, with such 
poor helps as we have in this world ! What 
then must be the expansion of mind, and 
enlargement of knowledge in heaven, amid the 
long roll of mighty ages, and with such in- 
structors as we shall there have ! There is a 
very remarkable passage found in the thir- 
teenth chapter of Paul's first epistle to the 
Corinthians. In the very chapter in which he 
says, " Now we see through a glass, darkly, 
but then, face to face ; now I know in part, 
but then shall I know even as also I am 
known;" in that very chapter, w T e find these 
words, " Whether there be tongues, they shall 
cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall 
vanish away." This seems strange, but the 
30* 



354 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



idea is this : — As the stars fade away at the 
rising of the sun,. their feeble rays being swal- 
lowed up and lost in the effulgent splendours of 
the bright and burning sun, even so, the know- 
ledge which we have on earth shall dwindle 
into insignificance, into nothing, when com- 
pared with the infinitely greater knowledge 
which we shall have in yonder world of daz- 
ling light and glory ! O heaven, sweet heaven ! 
There we shall have all light, and no shadows; 
all day, and no night ! Yes ; this is the testi- 
mony of the angel, given to John in the Isle of 
Patmos — "And there shall be no night there." 
What new views we shall have of the gran- 
deur of God, and the glories of his divine per- 
fections! What new discoveries of the im- 
mensity of his empire, and the wisdom of his 
administration ! And, with regard to the won- 
ders of Redemption, what new, what delight- 
ful, what overwhelming views we shall have of 
them ! Then we shall understand the full 
meaning of that heavenly song, sung by those 
who stand upon a sea of glass, mingled with 
fire : " Great and marvellous are thy works, 
Lord, God, Almighty ! just and true are thy 
ways, thou King of saints." Ah! my bre- 
thren, we know that our knowledge in heaven 
will be greatly increased ; but we can now 
form no more idea of the exceeding greatness 
of our knowledge in heaven, than the prattling 



SECOND SERIES. 



355 



child can have of the knowledge of the great- 
est and wisest man who ever lived on earth. 
One thing, however, we know, that one scene 
of brightness will yield to another scene of 
greater brightness; light will be cased in light, 
and glory casketed in glory ! And as the eagle, 
in her upward flight, soars away, far away 
from earth, as if she would revel amongst the 
stars, and light upon the chariot of the sun, 
so the ransomed soul, on wings sublime, shall 
rise, and with archangels shall expatiate amid 
the bright splendours which for ever play 
around the eternal throne! " Beloved, now 
are we the sons of God, and it doth not appear 
what we shall be," neither in point of dignity, 
nor knowledge, and, I may add — nor joy ! 
According to Scripture, the joys of heaven are 
exceeding great, they are unspeakable. "In 
thy presence," says the psalmist, " there is 
fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are 
pleasures for evermore." Think of God, 
what a glorious Being he is, and how sweet to 
share in his smiles, and for ever to bathe be- 
neath the unclouded glories of his counte- 
nance ! Think of our blessed Saviour, and the 
joy of seeing him as he is in glory, surrounded 
by saints and angels, who in notes of sweetest 
harmony are for ever hymning his praise! 
And, to crown this joy, our text says, " we shall 
be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 



356 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



The vision of the Redeemer will not only be 
beatific, it will be transforming; and then shall 
be brought to pass what is written in the 
oracles of divine truth, "we all, with open 
face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the 
Lord, are changed into the same image, from 
glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord!" 
O ! to bear the image of him whom we love, and 
all the angels love ! to bear the image of him 
who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and 
the express image of his person! Who can con- 
ceive of the joy, the rapturous joy which this will 
inspire ! If this were all, it might truly be said, 
we know not what we shall be in the matter of 
joy. Next comes the society of the blessed ! 
O ! to think of mingling with angels, pure an- 
gels, being made as angels ourselves ! and then 
to have, as our companions in bliss, the whole 
company of the redeemed — the patriarchs, 
the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs ! How 
delightful to see and converse with Abel, the 
first of the human family who ever entered 
the portals of heaven! And Enoch, the 
seventh from Adam, who was translated, that 
he should not see death, having before his 
translation this testimony, that he pleased 
God ! How delightful also, to see and con- 
verse with Noah, who with his family was 
saved in the ark, when the waters of the 
deluge passed over the whole earth! And 



SECOND SERIES. 



357 



there too, we will meet Abraham, the father of 
the faithful; and Isaac the child of promise; 
and Jacob, the venerable patriarch, who, dying, 
leaned upon the top of his staff, and spake so 
sweetly of Shiloh who was to come, saying, " I 
wait for thy salvation, O Lord!" And there 
is Moses the saint of God, by whom the Law 
was given in Sinai's awful mount; and Joshua 
the son of Nun, who had the honour of lead- 
ing the tribes of Israel into the promised land. 
But the time would fail me to tell you of 
Samuel the prophet, and David the sweet 
singer of Israel ; and Isaiah whose visions of 
the Messiah were so clear; and of John the 
Baptist, who was sent to prepare the way of 
the Lord. And there is Peter too, the ardent 
one ; and John, who leaned upon his Master's 
bosom at the pascal feast ; and Paul, who was 
so miraculously converted on his way to Da- 
mascus; and Stephen, whose face did shine as 
the face of an angel, and who had the honour 
of leading on the noble army of martyrs 
under the New Testament dispensation. 

And will it not be joyous to meet in glory 
the unnumbered millions of every age, of 
whom we have never heard; and our own 
beloved friends and acquaintances, too, with 
whom, in the sanctuary, in the social prayer- 
meeting, and around the domestic altar, we 
mingled our prayers and songs of praise ! And, 
what say you of the joy of meeting and greet- 



358 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ing that sainted mother, who led you in tender 
life to the throne of the heavenly grace, and 
who, dying, charged you to meet her in hea- 
ven! O the sweet joys of heaven, and the 
fulness thereof! But why enlarge ? I might 
mention the sweet music, the loud and har- 
monious songs of the heavenly world, as a 
source of joy, and the boundless increase of 
knowledge : in short, I might mention as the 
sum of all, the absence of all evil and the pos- 
session of all good, and the stamp of immortal- 
ity given to each and every source of joy ! 
But, it is enough to say, with Paul, eye hath 
not seen, ear hath not heard, nor have entered 
into the heart of man, what things God hath 
prepared for those that love him. " Beloved, 
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not 
yet appear what we shall be : but we know 
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like 
him; for we shall see him as he is*' 

"A hope so much divine, 

May trials well endure; 
May purge our souls from sense and sin ; 

As Christ the Lord is pure. 
If, in my Father's love ; 

I share a filial part, 
Send down thy Spirit, like a dove, 

To rest upon my heart. 
We would no longer lie 

Like slaves beneath the throne ; 
Our faith shall, Abba, Father, cry ; 

And thou, the kindred own." 



SECOND SERIES. 359 



SERMON XIV. 

THE DANGER OF PROCRASTINATION. 

And he said, To-morrow. — Exodus viii. 10. 

Commissioned by the God of heaven, Moses 
and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh and demand- 
ed the release of the children of Israel ; threat- 
ening, in case of disobedience, that tremendous 
plagues should come upon the land. Pharaoh 
disobeyed; and, accordingly, these plagues 
came in rapid and awful succession. It was 
whilst one of these plagues was upon the land, 
(the plague of frogs,) that the monarch of 
Egypt sent for Moses and Aaron, and said, 
Entreat the Lord for me, that he would take 
away the frogs. And Moses said, "When 
shall I entreat for thee?" "And he said, To- 
morrow." Is not this strange? One would 
think that Pharaoh would have said — Moses, 
what a question this is! You see with your 
own eyes, what an evil case I am in. Do you 
suppose that I can be willing to remain in this 
case another day, or even another hour ? Do 
you ask, when you shall pray for me ? Why, 
of course, the sooner the better — this day, 
this hour, this moment. — But, no : he said, 
"To-morrow!" Is this strange? It certainly 
is. But I am strongly inclined to think, that 



860 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



this incident was recorded to present, in a fig- 
tire, a case very common, and which is really far 
more strange : I mean the case of the sinner, 
who puts off to some future period the great 
work of securing his soul's salvation. In 
speaking from the words of our text, I purpose 
to notice several points of resemblance be- 
tween Pharaoh and the impenitent sinner. 
And, I must say, I do think that the points of 
resemblance are very exact. 

I. Both are in an evil case. — Pharaoh was 
certainly in an evil case, for God was dealing 
with him, and the judgments of heaven were 
upon himself, and upon his land. The mon- 
arch of Egypt felt that he was in an evil case. 
He must have felt it, and that very sensibly, 
or, verily, he had never sent for Moses and 
Aaron, and entreated them to pray for him. 
What ! a proud man, a haughty king, beg the 
people of God to pray for him! This is con- 
vincing proof that Pharaoh believed himself in 
an evil case. And, I ask, what is the case, or 
condition of the sinner? According to the re- 
presentation of the Scriptures, he is in the 
open field of ruin. His pious friends have 
come to Him, who is declared to be a hiding- 
place from the wind, and a covert from the 
tempest; but, alas! the impenitent sinner has 
no such hiding-place — he is still in the open 
field of ruin, and what, though he may not see 



SECOND SERIES. 



361 



the lightnings flash, nor hear the thunders 
roll, the storm is coming; and when it comes, 
it will be far worse than that which smote 
man and beast in the land of Egypt. Ex- 
posed every hour to be caught up in the whirl- 
wind of divine wrath, and to the peltings of a 
storm which shall have no end, surely the sin- 
ner is an evil case. O how evil! 

Again: According to the Scriptures, the 
impenitent sinner is in the broad road which 
leads to death, whilst his pious friends are in 
the narrow path which leads to life. Observe, 
this is the representation of the Saviour him- 
self — his language is very striking — listen to it: 
" Enter ye in at the straight gate ; for wide is 
the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to 
destruction, and many there be which go in 
thereat. Because, straight is the gate, and nar- 
row is the way, which leadeth unto life, and 
few there be that find it." The Saviour here, 
it will be seen, represents the whole human 
family as journeying to another and eternal 
world ; but not all journeying in the same way, 
nor all likely to arrive at the same end. See 
the great mass in the broad way ! The smaller 
number in the narrow path. And whither are 
the broad-road travellers going ? To life ? To 
heaven ? Alas ! no : but to destruction ! — that 
is, to the realms of darkness and despair ! O 
see the broad-road travellers— they are hurry- 
31 



362 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



ing on! Every moment drawing nearer and 
still nearer to the world of woe — the gulf of 
everlasting ruin ! With solemnity, I call God 
to record upon my soul, that I would not be in 
that broad road one hour for a thousand 
worlds! Sinner! remember, you are in the 
broad road! And can you tell me, how far off 
is your journey's end? See, your mother, 
perchance, is in the other way, the narrow 
way, which leads to life. She beckons you to 
join her. She weeps: she prays for you! O 
be persuaded — leave the broad road — enter in 
at the straight gate. This is the injunction of 
the Saviour himself. If you remain where 
you are, I tell you the truth in Christ, I lie 
not, like Pharaoh, you are in an evil case. 

Again : According to the Scriptures, the 
sinner is condemned already, and the wrath of 
God abideth upon him. Observe, it is not 
said that he is in danger of being condemned ; 
but is condemned already. This is the very 
language of the Saviour, and how awfully does 
it set forth the condition of the sinner ! Did 
you ever see a prisoner upon whom the sen- 
tence of death had been pronounced? Did 
you think him to be in an evil case ? Well, he 
was. But the sinner is under sentence of 
death of a more awful kind, even the death of 
the soul. It is even so. The sentence which 
dooms him to everlasting death, has already 



SECOND SERIES. 



363 



passed upon him ; and if that sentence is not 
reversed, the pangs of the second death will 
assuredly seize upon him. But what adds a 
new ingredient of terror, is this, the wrath of 
God abideth upon him, hangs over him as 
the axe of the executioner, or thunderbolt of 
heaven, which may fall upon him at any 
moment. Suppose, walking at the foot of a 
lofty mountain, you should look up and see, 
hanging just over your head, a projected rock, 
quivering, and ready to fall upon you ; would 
not this fill you with terror ? but what is that 
quivering rock to the wrath of God ? O that 
the sinner could but know his true condition ! 
How unspeakably evil it is ! methinks, the cry 
of the Philippian jailor would soon be his cry; 
" O sirs, what must I do to be saved ?" Once 
more : 

The sinner is on the left hand of his Judge ; 
his pious friends are on the right : hear what 
the Saviour says, in relation to this matter. In 
portraying the scenes of the last great day, 
he utters this language, " When the Son of 
man shall come in his glory, with all his holy 
angels with him; then shall he sit upon the 
throne of his glory, and before him shall be 
gathered all nations, and he shall separate 
them, one from another, as a shepherd di- 
videth the sheep from the goats. He shall 
place the sheep upon his right hand, and the 



364 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



goats upon the left. Then shall he say to 
those upon the right hand, Come, ye blessed of 
my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for 
you from the foundation of the world. And 
then shall he say to those upon the left hand, 
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting 
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," 
O, fearful condition of those upon the left 
hand! Sinner, did you know it, you are 
upon the left hand this moment; and if the 
angel of death should now touch you, you are 
linked to the left hand, to await that fearful 
sentence — Depart! Is not this an evil case to 
be in ? How can you consent to remain in it ? 
How can you consent to die in it? But you 
are ready to say — O sir, I know that the un- 
converted sinner is in an evil case, and I know 
that I am one ; but, I do not intend to remain 
in this condition, certainly I do not intend to 
die in it. I hope to be converted, I intend to 
be. This leads me to notice, 

II. The second point of resemblance be- 
tween Pharaoh and the impenitent sinner. 
Both indulge in a spirit of procrastination. 
Pharaoh said, "To-morrow," and so says 
every sinner. Yes, I think I may say every 
sinner. Certainly, every one who believes in 
the great truths of the Christian religion, and 
especially in the necessity of conversion. No 
man intends to be damned, although many in 



SECOND SERIES. 



365 



their professions say that they will be damned, 
and will even swear to it! Can a man in his 
senses deliberately resolve to rush into a fiery 
furnace, or leap down a precipice; no more 
can any man deliberately make up his mind 
to go to the world of w^oe. Oh ! no. He in- 
tends to go to heaven; and if conversion is 
necessary, he intends to be converted too. It 
is this hope of conversion at some future day 
that keeps him quiet. " If I had thought, 
twenty years ago," said a certain statesman, 
" that I w r ould be called to die, without being 
prepared, I would have been a wretched man." 
This is just exactly the state of the case, with 
one, and may I not say, with all ! The work 
of repentance is certainly to be done ; but it is 
always at some future period — u To-morrow!" 
So it was with Felix, who under Paul's 
preaching, trembled, but said, " Go thy w r ay 
for this time, when I have a convenient sea- 
son I will call for thee." Ah ! so it is with 
thousands and tens of thousands, at the pres- 
ent day. This spirit of procrastination is 
deeply seated in the human bosom ; and 
doubtless, there are many within these walls 
at this very moment, who are not yet con- 
verted, but who intend to be, before they die. 
They are now saying To-morrow, and they 
have been saying To-morrow, for lo ! these 
many years. See this young man yet in his 
31* 



366 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



sins; does he not know that he must repent, 
or perish ? Yes, his mother taught him this 
a long time ago. Has he repented? He has 
not shed one penitential tear ! Well, has he 
reconciled himself to the idea of perishing 
forever? Certainly not. He intends to re- 
pent! When? to-day? No, it is not con- 
venient now. There are some wordly plea- 
sures which he wishes first to enjoy. But he 
fully intends to repent. When? And he says, 
"To-morrow!" See that young lady, who is one 
of the gayest of the gay, who will even trifle 
in the house of God ; has she chosen Mary's 
part? She has the frankness and the candour 
to admit that she has not. Does she not know 
that she must have Mary's part, or she cannot 
have Mary's heaven? Certainly, she knows 
it. This is one of the lessons her mother 
taught her in the nursery. Well, is she will- 
ing never to have Mary's heaven? By no 
means; the bare idea of her never getting to 
heaven would spoil all her joys, would make 
her miserable ! To be sure, she has not 
chosen Mary's part yet, but she intends to do 
it! When? — and she says, " To-morrow !" 
See that man of business, wholly immersed in 
the things of this world. He has great forecast 
with regard to the things of time, but none 
with regard to the things of eternity. He 
makes no preparation to meet his God. Is not 



SECOND SERIES. 



367 



some preparation necessary? He admits it, 
and purposes to attend to this matter, all in 
good time. When? At some future period. 
And he says, " To-morrow." See, too, those who 
are openly wicked ; who are intemperate, who 
are profane, who are fraudulent, who are licen- 
tious, who indulge themselves in every form 
of vice and iniquity. Do they not know that 
they which do such things shall not inherit the 
kingdom of God ! Yes, they were taught this 
doctrine in the Sabbath-school, many years 
since, and they intend to reform. When ? — and 
they say, " To-morrow ?" And, O, sad to think 
upon, there goes a grey-headed sinner; the 
snows of fifty, sixty, seventy winters have 
been bleaching his locks, and his heart has 
never yet felt the sweet influence of a Saviour's 
love! Does he not know that he must set out 
for heaven, or, in the very nature of the case 
he cannot expect to reach that happy world? 
Certainly he knows it, for he has heard many 
a sermon, and has occasionally, and particu- 
larly in times of affliction, read his Bible. 
Has he set out for heaven ? He has not taken 
one single solitary step! But he purposes to 
set out. When ? " O, at some future period." 
And even this grey-headed sinner says, " To- 
morrow!" Persons in health too, I have seen 
putting off seeking the salvation of their 
souls, until they got sick; and when they were 



368 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



laid upon a bed of disease, they were in too 
much pain to attend to the matter, and they 
put it off until they got well again; and some 
persons even under awakening influences, post- 
pone the act of submission to Christ. They 
hope to be able to do something meritorious, 
and be better prepared to close in with the 
offers of salvation. When? And lo ! even the 
awakened sinner too frequently says, "To- 
morrow!" O this spirit of procrastination! 
How common! It has proved the ruin of 
millions, and yet it is perhaps as common now 
as it ever was. Alas that it should be so! 
But there is another point of resemblance : 

III. Both Pharaoh and the impenitent sin- 
ner have some reasons for saying "to-morrow," 
but the reasons are not good. The monarch of 
Egypt said to-morrow, hoping, perhaps, that 
his magicians might be able to remove the 
frogs, or that they might pass away themselves 
before the time fixed ; and then, no thanks to 
Moses, or the God whom he served. No mat- 
ter what his reasons were, we are quite sure 
they were not good. Even so, the sinner who 
puts off seeking the salvation of his soul, 
doubtless, has some reasons for doing so, but, 
assuredly his reasons are not good. Some tell 
us that they have not time to attend to such 
matters. The Saviour knew very well the va- 
ried engagements of human life. And yet his 



SECOND SERIES. 



3(39 



command to every individual is this, u Seek ye 
first the kingdom of God and his righteous- 
ness;" that is, seek this as an object of the first 
importance, and in the first place; and that 
we should permit nothing whatever to have 
the priority over this, a remarkable case is left 
upon record. And one said to our Saviour, 
Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou 
goest, but suffer me first to bid them farewell 
that are in my house. This indulgence was 
not granted. Another case, yet more remark- 
able, is this — Master, I will follow thee, 
said another, but " suffer me first to go and 
bury my father." Is there any duty more sa- 
cred than the performing of the funeral obse- 
quies for a dead parent? Surely the Saviour 
will grant this request. No; he did not! 
"Let the dead bury their dead," said he, but 
go thou and preach the gospel; and as piety 
is a prerequisite to the work of the ministry, 
we see plainly that the Saviour meant to be 
taken literally when he said, " Seek ye first the 
kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Let 
no one then say, that he has not time to seek 
the salvation of his soul. In no case can this 
reason be admitted as a good one. " But, it 
may be," another procrastinating sinner will 
say, " professors of religion are no better than 
others." In reply to this, we may remind you 
of the language of the apostle — "And what 



370 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



hast thou to do to judge another man's ser- 
vant?" But the words of the Saviour must 
silence every sinner for ever : " Except ye re- 
pent, ye shall all likewise perish." But the 
sinner may urge that he can do nothing. Let 
him lay his hand upon his heart, and say, if 
he can, that he has done everything that he 
could, but he must wait God's time ! Is this 
it? Be it so; the present is God's time, as it 
is written, " Behold, now is the accepted time. 
Behold, now is the day of salvation." "To- 
day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your 
heart," "But," again replies the sinner, "there 
are so many denominations." And is the sin- 
ner such a sectarian as to believe that we 
must belong to some certain church, or we 
cannot be saved ? He believes no such thing ; 
and therefore this excuse will not stand. Still 
wishing to justify himself, he may say, "I 
have time enough yet." "Friend," I would 
say, "how much time have you? Did you 
never hear of any one suddenly called away ? 
And who knows, but you may furnish the 
next example?" But you say, your heart is so 
hard. And is there not a bath of blood divine 
which can melt the flint away ? Thank God ! 
there is balm in Gilead; there is a Physician 
there ; aye, there is not a want in the sinner 
but there is a corresponding fulness in the 
blessed Redeemer; for it pleased the Father 



SECOND SERIES. 



371 



that in him should all fulness dwell. But, it 
may be, the sinner says, he is not fit to come to 
Christ, yet his conscience tells him that he is a 
great sinner. 

"Let not conscience make you linger. 
Nor of fitness fondly dream ; 
All the fitness he requireth 
Is to feel your need of him; 

This he gives you, 
; Tis the Spirit's rising beam." 

The excuses which the sinner offers for pro- 
crastinating are many. Their name is " le- 
gion," but not one is good — not one will an- 
swer on a dying bed, nor amid the solemnities 
of the last great day ! I repeat it, then ; both 
Pharaoh and the impenitent sinner have rea- 
sons for saying " to-morrow;" but, in neither 
case, are the reasons good. This point of re- 
semblance, then, is very exact; but there is yet 
another point of resemblance, and quite as ex- 
act as any yet mentioned. It is this : 

IV. Notwithstanding all disguises, the true 
reason for saying to-morrow is perfectly mani- 
fest in each case. Pharaoh said to-morrow, 
because he did not choose to let the children of 
Israel go. He wished to retain his grasp upon 
them as long as possible, and as his release of 
the children of Israel must be simultaneous 
with the removal of the plague, he wished a lit- 
tle more time to think upon the subject. Pre- 



872 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



cisely so it is with the sinner. He loves his 
sins, and he wishes to hold to them as Ions: 
as he can ; particularly certain sins, which are 
peculiarly dear to him, and to part with which 
would be almost like parting soul and body 
asunder. This one is wedded to gold; another 
loves the world with an inordinate affection; 
a third is not willing to give up the privi- 
lege of resenting injuries; and another has no 
taste or relish for certain acts of self-denial; 
whilst a fourth has contracted a certain evil 
habit, which he finds it almost impossible to 
break. See the profane man; the intemperate 
man; the licentious man ; the fraudulent man; 
the revengeful man ; and see, too, the crowd of 
ball-loving, theatre- going, horse-racing, Sab- 
bath-breaking sinners. These all "roll their 
sins as a sweet morsel under their tongues." 
They would rather part with almost anything 
in the world than with their favourite indul- 
gences. Indeed, I have known some like 
Esau, who, for one morsel of meat, sold his 
birth- right, and you know how, that after- 
wards, when he would have inherited the bless- 
ing, he was rejected, for he found no place for 
repentance, though he sought it, carefully, with 
tears. Yes, sinners are sometimes awakened 
under the preaching of the word, or, by some 
remarkable providence they are alarmed; their 
consciences smitten, they are ready to take up 



SECOND SERIES. 373 

the pentecostal cry, Men and brethren, what 
must we do? and, when told that they must 
break off their sins by repentance, and their 
iniquities by turning unto the Lord, they 
struggle, they hold back, they would like to 
compromise matters : and when told that they 
must give up every sin, crucify every lust, 
and must part with every idol, they think that 
the Bible exacts too much: and when we urge 
them to come to the point without any further 
delay, they are ready to say, and frequently 
do say, I do not like to be pressed in this way; 
I must have a little more time to think on the 
subject. Ah! my brethren, it is even so. The 
sinner loves sin; he wishes to indulge in it as 
long as he can ; and, therefore, he says, " to-mor- 
row !" Surely, all the points of resemblance be- 
tween Pharaoh and the sinner are most exact; 
and, I would ask, is there not much reason to 
fear that the end of the one, and the end of the 
other will be substantially the same? Pharaoh 
was hardened; and is not the procrastinating 
sinner in danger of being hardened? " My 
Spirit," says God, "shall not always strive 
with man." And the apostle tells us of some 
who were given over to a hard heart, and a re- 
probate mind; aye, and I have myself seen 
some whose hearts seemed to be as rock, and 
as adamant! — yea, past feeling and past hope! 
O, fearful state of the sinner, when the Spi- 
32 



374 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



rit, grieved, departs to return no more! Can 
there be any condition on earth worse than 
this? Let me be poor; let me be a bondman ; 
let me be a beggar; but, O my gracious God, 
let me not be a hardened sinner! O, cast me 
not away from thy presence, neither take thine 
Holy Spirit from me! But, another remark 
that I would make is this : Pharaoh was cut 
off in the midst of his sins, and so it mav be 
with every procrastinating sinner in this as- 
sembly. How awful is the thought ! 

Let me close with a parable : There was in 
a certain place a faithful pastor, who was 
much blessed in his labours of love. He had ? 
however, a neighbour, with whom he often 
conversed, and for whom he often prayed. 
This neighbour had some fine traits of cha- 
racter. He was a moral man, and seemed to 
be " not far from the kingdom of God." At 
times, he was much wrought upon, under 
preaching ; and more than once he was ready 
to say to his pastor, " Almost thou persuadest 
me to be a Christian." Indeed, on one occa- 
sion, like Felix, he trembled, but like the 
same Felix, he by his actions said, "Go thy 
way for this time, when I have a convenient 
season I will call for thee." Yes, with him it 
w r as always u To-morrow, to-morrow." One 
day the minister heard that his neighbour was 
sick, very sick. What if he dies in his pre- 



SECOND SERIES. 



375 



sent state, thought the minister: he is an 
amiable man, a generous man; in many points 
of character a most excellent man, but, by his 
own confession, he is no Christian. Has he 
never felt the power of God's converting 
grace upon his soul — suppose he should die 
in his present condition ! I must go and see 
him. Accordingly, taking his hat and cane, 
he called to see him. He knocked at the door; 
a servant opened it. "How is your master?" 
"Very sick, sir; please to walk in." The 
minister, led by the servant, entered the 
chamber. The curtains were down, and the 
room was darkened, and on the bed there lay 
his neighbour, scorched by a raging fever. 
Taking him kindly by the hand, "How do 
you find yourself this morning?" said the 
minister. " Very sick, sir," replied the neigh- 
bour. After a while the minister in a subdued 
tone of voice, said: "Do you think, my dear 
sir, that you have made your peace with 
God? Should God see proper now to take 
you away, are you ready to go?" "O Sir," 
said the sick man, interrupting him, " I am in 
agony ! Please to excuse me. O my head ! 
my head ! I cannot talk to you now. Please 
to call again !" " When shall I call?'? " To- 
morrow," said the sick man. The faithful 
man of God burst into tears, and retired. The 
next day he called again. The knocker was 



376 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



muffled; a bad sign. Knocking gently at the 
door, the servant opened it. " How is your 
master?" "No better, sir; please to walk 
in." The minister entered the chamber, and 
there was his neighbour, still upon a bed 
of sickness. "My dear neighbour," said 
the minister, "how are you this morning?" 
There was no response ! The man was de- 
lirious now, and spoke in broken sentences, 
incoherently. The minister, leaning upon 
the top of his cane, looked at his neighbour, 
and the silent tear trickled down his cheek. 
He was about to rise up and go away, but the 
wife of the sick man exclaimed, " O my dear 
pastor, won't you pray for my husband!" 
The prayer was offered, and the minister 
taking the hand of his neighbour, said, "my 
dear friend, good-bye." Still there was no 
response. Alas ! the sick man knew not that 
his wife was weeping at his bed-side, and that 
his pastor had been praying for him. As the 
man of God was retiring, the affectionate wife 
followed him to the door, and in parting said, 
" My dear pastor, I am in great affliction, 
will you be so kind as to call again?" " Mad- 
am," said he, " when do you think I had better 
call?" And she said, "To-morrow!" O that 
to-morrow, that to-morrow ! The associations 
were more than he could bear; and the man 
of God went weeping all the way returning to 



SECOND SERIES. 377 

his home. The next morning he called again; 
the knocker was still muffled. He tapped 
gently at the door. The servant opened. 
"How is your master?" "He is said to be 
worse, sir." "I would like to see him." 
"You can't sir! The doctor has just left, 
and he has given the strictest orders that 
nobody should enter the room but those who 
are waiting upon him. But here is my 
mistress."— " Madam ! how is your husband ?" 
"O! my dear pastor," replied she, bursting 
into tears, " he is worse — I fear much worse !" 
" I would like to see your husband, madam, a 
few moments." " I would be glad to have 
you see him too," replied the afflicted woman, 
" but our physician says, that the crisis is 
come, and that the slightest excitement may 
prove fatal ; but the doctor said, that if his 
patient revived, he might be able to see you 
to-morrow !" Having received a message, 
about the going down of the sun, that his 
neighbour w T as still in a critical state, and too 
w r eak to be seen, the minister could hardly 
sleep that night, so anxious was he about 
the salvation of his neighbour. The next 
morning, taking his hat and cane, he went 
early, to make at least some inquiry. Tap- 
ping again, gently, at the door, the servant 
opened. "How is your master?" was the 
anxious inquiry. " O sir," replied the servant, 
32* 



878 



REVIVAL SERMONS. 



"he is dead!" "Dead! 77 exclaimed the min- 
ister—" Dead! 77 " Yes sir, he died this morn- 
ing, at 4 o 7 clock. 77 " God have mercy' 7 — the 
minister was about to say, but it flashed upon 
him, it is too late now ! Dear procrastinating 
sinner ! It is enough — I beseech you, do not say 
to-morrow any more! To-morrow! It may 
be too late for ever! To-morrow's sun may 
shine upon your grave! And O, remember 
that departed spirits return to earth no more ! 
Once lost, you are lost for ever ! "Be wise to- 
day, 'tis madness to defer." 

Hasten, sinner, to be wise, 

And stay not for to-morrow's sun; 

The longer Wisdom you despise, 
The harder is she to be won. 

! hasten mercy to implore, 

And stay not for to-morrow's sun; 

For fear thy season should be o'er 
Before this evening's course be run. 

Hasten, sinner, to return, 

And stay not for to-morrow's sun; 

For fear thy lamp should fail to burn 
Before the needful work is done. 

Hasten, sinner, to be blest, 

And stay not for to-morrow's sun; 

For fear the curse should thee arrest, 
Before the morrow is begun. 



APPENDIX. 



INTERESTING RECOLLECTIONS. 

1. A Strange Thing. — « Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther." 

Some years since, I held a protracted meeting in a certain town in 
Georgia. Amongst others who professed conversion, were some three 
or four men, who had been esteemed infidels. Upon the close of the 
meeting. I went to another town some thirty miles distant, and 
preached one sermon, at night. There was present, in a remote part 
of the house, a man of « three-score and ten," who was outrageously 
wicked, and an open and avowed infidel. He had around him several 
young men, whom he endeavoured to amuse, in order to divert their 
attention from what was said in preaching. Near him, however, was 
a stranger, a pious man, who was very much annoyed by his light and 
trifling remarks. When the services of the evening closed, this hoary- 
headed sinner, it seems, held, for the amusement of the young men, a 
kind of mock prayer -meeting ! After which, he had the effrontery to 
come to the house where the pious stranger and myself lodged. In 
the family circle, the impious conduct of the gray-headed sinner had 
been the subject of our conversation ; and the " stranger" was then 
requested to lead in the family devotions of the evening. He had 
taken his seat by a stand near the inner door, and was reading a por- 
tion of Scripture, when a knock was heard at the outer door. The 
gentleman of the house rose up, and opened the door; when who 
should come in but Mr. H., the old scorner ! He was pointed to a 
seat near the door, and sat down. I was very desirous that the brother 
who was about to lead in prayer should know who had come in ; for I 
suspected that there would be some reference to him in the prayer ; 
but no; his feelings were too much wrought upon to notice anything 
of the kind. When the chapter was read, we all kneeled down ; and 
in a little time our brother was praying, with great earnestness, for 
the young men who had been at preaching that evening. Now, thinks 



380 



APPENDIX 



I to myself, he will certainly notice the old man; what a pity he does 
not know that he is in the room. Well, sure enough, after pouring 
out his soul for the young men, the pious stranger added — " And now, 
O Lord, have mercy upon that old creature" — and went on to state what 
that " old creature" had done and said in the church that evening. 
Upon rising from his knees, the brother who had prayed looked around, 
and saw the old man near at hand. He was astonished to be sure; 
but would not deign to make any apology. The old scorner took a 
hymn-book, and sitting down just opposite the person who had led in 
prayer, begged him to sing one of his "favourite hymns;" and then 
talked about the recent revival, and the conversion of the infidels 
there. "They were my disciples," said he; "Mr. Baker has taken 
them from me, and I think he ought to take the old shepherd now." I 
thought it time to come to the rescue of my friend; and, looking the 
old infidel full in the face, I said, " Sir, do you ever pray 1" Suddenly 
he seemed struck, as by some invisible power! His eyes became 
glassy ; his tongue was paralyzed ; and, uttering some incoherent 
words, he rose up and hurried out. I never saw him any more. We 
were all much astonished, and came to the conclusion, that the hand 
of God was upon him, and that the sentence had gone forth against 
him, " Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther." 

2. Another Strange Thing — but widely different. 

A long time ago, I had as an inmate of my family, a nephew, 
about fourteen years of age. He was a member of my church, and 
was supposed to be truly pious. One night, in his usual health, he 
retired to rest. A little after, I heard a groan in his chamber. Seizing 
a candle, I rushed in, and saw my nephew throwing himself about in 
the bed very wildly. I spoke to him, but he gave me no answer. He 
seemed as one much terrified, and trembled exceedingly. " O that 
day !" said he, " that dreadful day !" " Why, my dear nephew," said 
I, " did you think that the judgment-day was come, and you not pre- 
pared 1" " O yes, yes !" said he. "It was only a dream," replied I; 
" only a dream, but it is well to be prepared for that day." In a few 
moments he was composed, and seemed inclined to sleep. I retired, 
but had not left the room more than ten minutes when I heard another 
groan proceeding from the same quarter. Seizing a candle, a second 
time I hastened in, and again found my nephew in a state of great 
excitement. His eyes were open, but he seemed not to recognize me. 



APPENDIX. 



381 



I spoke to him soothingly, but he replied not. Every muscle was in 
motion. I thought he was going into convulsions. Much alarmed, 1 
sent for a physician. He came, and administered medicine, which 
appeared to have a tranquillizing influence. All who were present, 
(the doctor, myself, and two young ladies, named Martha and Mary, 
who at that time had made no profession of religion,) sat down, and 
watched him. His feelings now completely calmed, he closed his 
eyes ; and, leaning his head upon my bosom, he seemed to be sinking 
into a gentle sleep. For a few minutes all was still, the silence of 
the grave reigned ; when, all at once, my nephew in pleasing accents 
exclaimed, « Death cannot make our souls afraid !" Having said this, 
all was again " still as the foot of night," when my nephew raised up 
his head, opened his eyes, and sweetly smiling, exclaimed in thrilling 
accents, « O the glories of heaven ! the glories of heaven ! Delightful ! 
Well— if I ever saw golden hinges before ! Brother, I am glad to meet 
you here ! (His brother had died about two months before.) There 
is Paul, and there is Peter ! Well — let us go and see Stephen now ? 
Well — if I ever drank such water before ! There is God !" said he ; 
and putting his hands before his face, he bowed down his head, and 
seemed to have the feelings of the adoring seraphim, who veiled their 
faces and their feet, and cried, in notes responsive to each other, 
" Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ; the whole earth is full of his 
glory!" He then took away his hands from his face; and, I 
must say, I never saw human face shine so ! I never saw mortal 
eyes sparkle so ! My nephew thought himself in heaven — within the 
precincts of eternal day — sounds seraphic falling upon his ear, and all 
the glories of the heavenly world on every hand ! Looking around 
him, as one in perfect admiration, in perfect ecstasy, he exclaimed, 
« Here is everlasting rest ! everlasting rest !" Having said this, he 
laid his head gently upon my bosom ; and, in every feature of his 
countenance there was an expression of sweet satisfaction, which no 
words can describe. In a few moments, he raised up his head, and 
gazing around, as if looking upon objects which seemed to charm his 
inmost soul, he exclaimed, « There is no curse here ! Uncle Daniel 
told me so !" (He had heard me preach from these words, " And 
there shall be no more curse.") " O the glories of redemption !" then 
burst from his enraptured lips. This scene lasted about thirty min- 
utes, all present looking on, but saying nothing, when, all at once* 
my nephew's countenance was changed ; a cloud came over hx% 



382 



APPENDIX. 



face, his eyes lost their lustre, his features were distorted, and, as 
if seized with some sudden agony, he cried out, "01 can't go back ! 
I can't go back !" and bursting into tears, he came to himself, and 
asked for water. I gave him. " Must I drink this water now]" said 
he ; and then turning to the two young ladies, with a look and tone of 
voice not to be described, he said, " O, Martha, try to get to heaven ! O 
Mary, do try to get to heaven !" — The next morning, he was in his 
usual health, and remembered his dream, or trance, or whatever it 
might be called, but manifested no disposition to speak about the 
matter. 

I now simply state the case; I know not, to this day, what to think 
of it. No matter, whatever it may be called, and in whatever way 
accounted for, one thing I know, I would not have missed being 
present for a great deal. It gave me a vivid idea of heaven, and of 
the sweet surprise and rapture of the soul as it first enters that eternal 
world of glory. I know not, I say, what to make of it, or how to 
account for it, but it is so. At any rate, it served to bring up fresh to 
my recollection the words of Paul: "It is not expedient for me doubt- 
less to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 
I knew a man in Christ, above fourteen years ago, (whether in 
the body, I cannot tell ; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell : God 
knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew 
such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: 
God knoweth;) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard 
unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." Thank 
God, there is a heaven! a paradise! a world of eternal glory, and 
eternal joy — there the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary 
are at rest. No sin there ! no sorrow there ! but God is there! and 
the angels are there! and the redeemed, all robed in white, are there !— 
and there is joy, rapturous joy — yea, the full tide of overflowing and 
never-ending bliss ! Visions of glory! how ye crowd upon my ad- 
miring sight! City of the living God! how happy are those who 
walk thy golden streets ! 

" Let heavenly love prepare my soul, 
And call her to the skies ; 
Where years of long salvation roll, 
And glory never dies!" 

3. An Incident in a destitute place in Georgia. 
Hiding as a missionary, in a region of country where the sound of 
the " church going bell" was never heard, and no ordinances of the 



APPENDIX. 



383 



church, were, perhaps, ever administered, T called at the gate of a log 
cabin to obtain some refreshment. As I dismounted from my horse, 
the lady of the house, a mother, ran out to meet me. "Oh! sir," 
said she, "ain't you a preacher]" On being told that I was — « I am 
so glad to see you," added she. "And why, Madam!" said I. 
" Why,, sir," replied the good woman, " I have a dear child that has 
not been baptized; and I wish him to be consecrated to God in the 
ordinance of baptism." Upon conversing with her, and finding no 
difficulty in the way, I proceeded forthwith to the administration of the 
ordinance. Having explained its nature, and reminded the mother of 
her duty to do everything in her power to bring the child, even in 
early life, into the arms of that Saviour who said, "Suffer little children 
to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of 
God," I was about applying the element of water — " Madam," said 
I, "what is the name of your child!" "What is your name]" 
asked she. " Daniel Baker is my name," said I. " Well," rejoined 
she, " that is the name of my child." Heaven bless the good woman I 
It seems she had made a kind of a vow, that if the Lord would only 
send that way some minister of the gospel, to apply the seal of the 
covenant to her dear little boy, the child should bear the name of that 
minister, as a memorial of a mother's gratitude ! Blessed ordinance! 
Precious privilege! If the sheep are in the fold, why should not the 
little lambs be there also ! 

4. Another Incident, in one of the waste places in Virginia. 

Having sent an appointment to preach one sermon in a certain 
place, on a week day, I rode up at the hour appointed, and was 
astonished to see so many horses hitched all around. As no house 
near at hand could accommodate the persons assembled, we went into 
the grove, and had such accommodations as we could get. I preached 
a long sermon, and every individual seemed to listen with an eagerness 
which I had rarely ever witnessed before. On singing the last hymn, 
I rose, and gave them some parting words. I then pronounced the 
blessing, but was not permitted to go ; and consented to preach another 
sermon, after a short recess. Accordingly, I did preach another ser- 
mon ; and all who were present can bear witness that it was by no 
means a short one. After the last hymn was sung, perceiving that 
there was great solemnity, and that not an individual seemed to be 
inclined to retire, I resumed speaking, and having occupied some 



384 



APPENDIX. 



twenty minutes, I pronounced the blessing, and sat down ; and to my 
surprise, all followed my example, and took their seats ! I waited for 
them to retire, but not one seemed at all inclined to go ; they wanted me 
to give them some more last words. I accordingly arose, and addressed 
them again ; and as my form was now fading upon their sight, and my 
voice now dying upon their ear, and we might never see each other's 
faces in the flesh any more, I charged them, in the presence of God, 
and his elect angels, to make the care of their souls the one thing 
needful, and to meet me in heaven ! I sat down again, but still not 
an individual would move ! Hearts were melting, and tears were in 
many eyes ! They must still have " some more last words." I began 
again to speak, and had not continued long, when (my face being 
turned to the west) I saw a dark cloud rising. It began to lighten, 
it began to thunder, but none save myself seemed to know that the 
storm was near. At length, rain drops began to descend. « Friends," 
said I, " a storm is at hand ; we had better retire." Then, and not 
until then, did they leave their seats in the grove : and one man, Cap- 
tain Wright, coming to me, grasped my hand with much emotion, and, 
tears running down his cheeks, said, " Stranger, for God's sake come 
back, or send some one to preach to us the gospel !" Ah ! little do 
those who have the means of grace in rich abundance, think of the 
condition of those who are far away, who have silent Sabbaths, and 
no heralds of salvation to preach to them the glorious gospel of the 
blessed God ! 

5. A Death-bed Scene. — " The candle of the wicked shall be 
put out V 

Mr. R., a very profane and wicked man, lived two years in a 
certain town in which I resided, and during that period had heard 
me preach only two sermons. At a tavern on a certain Sabbath, 
he had a difficulty with a ferocious man, who drew a pistol and shot 
him down ! Mortally wounded, he exclaimed, « Great God, I am a 
dead man ! Send for Mr. Baker 1" When I came, he grasped my 
hand, and exclaimed — " A dying sinner unprepared !" A few hours 
after, his sun of life went down behind a dark cloud ! Sinners may 
think it a light matter to live without God, but of a truth, they will 
find it a serious affair to die without hope ! They may revel in sin for 
a few days or years, at most. 



APPENDIX. 



385 



But Oh! their end! their dreadful end, 

Thy sanctuary taught me so ; 
On slippery rocks I see them stand, 

And fiery hillows roll helow. 

6. Another Death-bed Scene. — "Wo to them, when I depart 
from them, saith the Lord." 

During a protracted meeting, in a very pleasant « Summer Retreat" 

in one of our Southern States, Mr. R s, a young man, about 

twenty-five years of age, was brought under awakening influences. 
On the last day of the meeting I conversed with him, and found that 
there was a great conflict in his bosom. He felt the great importance 
of attending immediately to the high claims of God and eternity, but 
like Felix, it was with him — "Go thy way for this time, when I have 
a convenient season I will call for thee." The meeting closed, and 

Mr. R s returned home unconverted. Two days after he was 

taken alarmingly ill, and on the eighth or ninth day he breathed his 
last. On the morning of the day on which he died, having great 
mental distress, he sent for a neighbouring minister before it was yet 
light. When the man of God reached his bed-side, he found him 
near his end, and sinking in despair! "I have no hope/ said he, 
" my day of grace is over, and I know when my day of grace closed — 
it closed with that meeting ! O for forgiveness !" The minister told 
him that there was forgiveness in Christ. " No, no !" he passionately 
exclaimed, " but I don't feel it here, I don't feel it here !" laying his 
hand upon his bosom, already getting cold in death. The man of God 
referred him to many precious promises, but he could lay hold of none. 
" It is too late now ! It is too late now !" In the midst of this affect- 
ing scene, the preacher was called into another room ; a kind friend, 

then approached the bed of the dying man, and said " Mr. R s, 

you had better compose yourself, and sleep a little now." " Sleep ! 
Sleep!" said he in agony, "I have no time to sleep now! I must 
spend all my time in prayer now!" Just at this moment he seemed 
to be death-struck. His youthful wife, perceiving that her husband 
was just going, threw herself in agony upon his bosom, and shrieked 
aloud. This roused the dying man, for a moment, and looking up 
wildly, he exclaimed, " Lord Jesus!" and his heart ceased to beat. 

" When a man dies, shall he live again V 9 "The night cometh 
when no man can work." 

33 



386 



APPENDIX. 



7. The Contrast — Another death-bed scene. — " The righteous 
hath hope in his death." 

One of the jewels of my church in S- was a lady who was re- 
markably timid, and retiring, in health. This universally beloved 
daughter of Zion was laid upon a bed of pain, of languishing, and of 
death. I called repeatedly to see her, and it was very pleasant to find, 
that in full view of her end, she had "a. good hope through grace." 
One morning, in particular, (if I recollect right, her last on earth,) I 
approached her bed-side; and, taking her by the hand, said, " Well, 
my dear sister, how do you find yourself this morning?" Press- 
ing my hand, she replied, " My dear pastor, I am in pain, I am in great 
pain ; but O," continued she, " I am happy ! I am happy ! I am so 
happy ! Jesus can make a dying bed feel soft as downy pillows are !" 
A little after, she remarked, " There are the angels of God ! They 
are come for me !" That day her soul was with her Redeemer in 
paradise. O, what a blessed thing it is to be a Christian ! 

8. Another pleasing Death-bed Scene. 

Mrs. C , a lady of some distinction, was, I believe soundly con- 
verted in my church during a blessed revival of religion. For several 
years, she was a happy Christian ; but, being obliged to move in a 
certain fashionable circle, the fervour of her religious feeling, in a 
measure, passed away, and a cloud came over her soul. With her 
evidences of divine acceptance darkened, she was taken sick. She 
was laid upon her dying bed. On one occasion, I said to her, *< My 
dear sister, are you willing to die]" "No," replied she, "I have not 
those clear views of my Saviour which I used to have, and which I 
think I ought to have." This darkness continued for several days ; but 
it pleased God again to visit her in mercy. Again was the blessed 
Saviour revealed in her heart, the hope of glory ; and full of joy and 
triumph, she looked up, and exclaimed, " The long expected One is 
come at last ! Blessed Jesus ! I am willing to go now !" This light, 
as it is believed, continued until it was merged in the joys of the 
paradise of God ! 

Jesus, the vision of thy face 

Hath overpowering charms ; 
Scarce shall I feel Death's cold embrace? 

If Christ be in my arms! 

And when ye hear my heart-strings break, 

How sweet my minutes roll ; 
A mortal paleness on my cheek, 

And glory in my soul ! 



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